Hey man I don’t know how I found your blog but I’m glad I did. I was just reading some of your post and they are insightful and thought provoking. I subscribed to your feed and I thank you in advance for the knowledge that you are sharing.

I would like to see how you feel about the election and how it’s going. Also I would like to hear your opinion of how Asians, Indians, and Hispanics view blacks when they come to the U.S and how I feel like they hate us, but I don’t know why. I love how you and your viewers express themselves, you all are on point! Thank you.

I would like to see a blog on how black foreigners tend to look down on African Americans, especially Ethiopians. Black on black racism within the AA community and black on black racism both ways with black foreigners and AA. Some of them do not even consider themselves black. Check out the article on tadias the topic has been pretty hot: http://www.tadias.com/?p=521
as just a place to start

Your posts have been popular over at SisterLicious, an application on Facebook for Black women. I am the co-creator and would like to get you to post some of your work there. You have my email address. Drop me a line.

Could you discuss perceptions on Race and Intelligence. The problem with Watson and the Gates interview has legitimized race based science, etc that I find disheartening and frankly disturbing—that I may be judged and categorized and denied rates based on my perceived IQ.

Abagond, the Italia Vogue should be in stores sometime this week. The smart thing to do is call Barnes and NOble or some other bookstore and have them put an issue on hold for you. Otherwise, you may find it very diffcult to get a copy.

Abagond,
I am not sure what ethnicity you are and I don’t want to assume. However, I am a black American. My mothers side of the family were African and American Indian slaves in south Carolina. I don’t know how other people feel but I don’t like the idea of people who are not black Americans with my same history being classified as “black Americans or African American(I don’t like the term) For some reason, although it is a stain on the fabric of America, knowing that my ancestors were slaves makes me feel a source of pride. I know that my people are stronger psychologically, physically and intellectually than most. I am proud of the fact that my people combined elements of all three cultures and created various styles of music that have influenced the world and that bear little resemblance to most traditional African music, of which I have listened. I am proud of the fact that my people were the ones brave enough to stand up in the face of oppression and demand to be respected to the point that other people all over the world follow our lead. I am proud of our oratory traditions, style of being, inventions, etc. Could you do a little research and see if other black Americans whose ancestry begins in America have that same ethnic pride? I am curious.

Sorry, there is something I am not getting: “black Americans whose ancestry begins in America” sounds redundant to me.

Also this:

“I don’t know how other people feel but I don’t like the idea of people who are not black Americans with my same history being classified as “black Americans or African American(I don’t like the term)”

But if you are black American than anyone with the same history would be the same. If by history you mean family history.

There is something you definitely did not get. 1. An African from Angola for example who is naturalized as a citizen this year, is classified as African-American or a black American by the government. For example, Barack Obama himself is considered “African-American, Black American” by most people and he self-identifies. His/their history is a separate entity from my great-great grandmother who came to this country at the age of twelve as a slave. Their culture is totally different from my culture which has its roots in the south. I say this because the Africans who came to America came from diverse ethnicities, blended with Native Americans, whites and were cut off and forbidden any contact or identification with Africa. Therefore, my roots begin as an amalgamation of cultures within America.
2. Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Brazillians, and many other new world communities identify with their island/nation. They have their own music, food, culture, history. No different from American blacks.
3. If a Brazillian moves the Dominican Republic, they will always be a Brazillian. If a Haitian, Jamaican, Nigerian, etc moves to America, they are automatically included in my ethnicity by federal government classifications. Their families have not been in this country for over four hundred years, they contributed nothing to my culture in it’s early stages, they didn’t fight in the civil war and many had not arrived until after Jim Crow. So why, should these people be eligible for scholarships, etc that should be reserved for the members of my ethnicity who suffered in this country.
Thus, I am not talking about Family history because I would never need a stranger to give me information about such things. I am talking about ethnic pride.

Asian American poet at a contest – I am not asian or even the child of a recent immigrant to american but it was amazing and stirring poem that deals with biracial and american intigration. I was moved. Given some of our discussion you might want to watch it.

re oscar grant
I apoligize…I thought of telling you but honestly thought you had it in your que to right about – unless someone tells me about something I am out of it most of the time. I dont watch the news. I only knew because my sister was working the protest. I really find the news depressing in general and dont watch it much. I cook, clean, read books and your blog. I dont surf the net much or watch much tv. I really thought you would know about it.

i went back and checked…I first heard about it actually on face book not my sister – sister just filled me in on the details. a friend posted the news story on jan 7th – so same day as you! Like I said – i really hate watching the news. My friends have a standing request to make sure and email me news stories i should know about.

I work full time as a secretary, care for my three sons plus my sisters two when I am “not working”, cook and clean. So my free time I log on quick to facebook and your sight then power down and crochet and listen to jazz or r&b (between 9 – 11) then collapse in bed.

I have to say – even when we disagree you are never confrontational about it. You create an environment where people call talk about sensative subjects and be heared and respected. I really admire you for that.

This song means so much to me…especially “I hang my head from sorrow, state of humanity”. Oscar grant, russia and georgia, iraq, and so much else

And yet with all this evil in the world “For all the mothers fighting – For better days to come And all my women, all my women sitting here trying To come home before the sun” I try to be a good mother and wife and take of the ones I love

Alica Keys – Superwomen

Everywhere I’m turning
Nothing seems complete
I stand up and I’m searching
For the better part of me
I hang my head from sorrow
state of humanity
I wear it on my shoulders
Gotta find the strength in me

Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Even when I’m a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I’m a Superwoman

For all the mothers fighting
For better days to come
And all my women, all my women sitting here trying
To come home before the sun
And all my sisters
Coming together
Say yes I will
Yes I can

Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Even when I’m a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I’m a Superwoman

When I’m breaking down
And I can’t be found
And I start to get weak
Cause no one knows
Me underneath these clothes
But I can fly
We can fly, Oh

Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Even when I’m a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I’m a Superwoman

another topic – 100s of christians in enitrea are being held by the government in metal boxes 4 feet by 4 feet…without any sort of trial…simply because they are christian.
Enitrea is located in east africa near the red sea.
Two news stories on the subject.http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/CWN/041604eritrea.aspx

have you ever written about tattooing? It was once taboo…now more main stream. I am a ministers daughter and before getting mine my father and I discussed why it is perceived as a sin. My father said its not a sin (of course he thought I was asking for a friend). He did try to change his story when I started getting ink but I told him its either a sin or its not and he agreed thats it not…but he doesnt like it.

I rewrote Shakespheres – to be or not to be

A Parody on Shakesphere’s Sonnet:

To be Inked, or not to be Inked: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of disapproval,
Or to conform to societies belief to avoid troubles,

Or by opposing them, do you end them? To ink: to change;
and perhaps; by inking to say better express
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish’d. To ink, to change;
To change: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that change of skin what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this normal skin,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare body? who would bear this,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something different from others,
With unchanged skin that with we bourn
We bare those ills, alone, unexpressed

Rather, make us bear those ills we have
Expressing, with our skin, what others may know not?
Don’t let society make cowards of us all;

But let the native hue of color added
To our sicklied pale cast of skin,
Be enterprises of great moment
With this regard our life we take the helm,
And in the name of knowing they self
Be all my trials and triumphs remembered in ink

abagond – I do think it ishuman nature to look down upon all sorts of class distinctions. I often here at work – There are often calenar conflicts, conference room conflicts etc that occur. And some of my fellow executive assistants will pull the rank card (how dare they talk to that VP like that…or dont they know this meeting was asked for by Mr. Big Shot Lawyer?) And I – in a gentle yet firm voice, wil redirect the focus to…It doesnt matter if its 10 lawyers, or 10 mail room employees…the point is common curtesy. I treat all my fellow employess at work like I do my VP. It annoys me this perception that simiply because they have a college degree they are better than the single mother working 10 hour shifts as a receptionist. They are not. Or because you ordered the latte you have the right to treat the person behind the counter as if you are better than them. I have (on more than one occasion) stopped a person and told them to apoligize to the starbucks employee…or mcdonalds employee for their rude behavior. I point out that they could have asked to have their order fixed in a manner that wasnt condesending and that one should not make assumptions about a person by what they do for a living. It infuriates me when a person behaves as if they are better than someone else and I always end up embaressing my husband. He says I have to remember I am not the universal mother.

Or to quote one of my favorite lines from a movie (all though I cant remember which one anymore) You should treat a duchess like a prostitue and a prostitute like a duchess…

abagond Says:
Tue 20 Jan 2009 at 22:45:39
“Thanks for the suggestion. I do not think ALL white Americans think that way. But SOME of them do, that I know quite clearly. It is not at all a stereotype. I wish it were that simple.
Also: if you are white, as your name says, then how in the world would you know? How would you find yourself at the receiving end of this sort of thinking?”

First, to make a statement “White people look down on those who are different” is a stereotype by definition. That statement did not specify “some” white people. If it did, I would not have brought this up. If you mean some instead of all than please make that clear. Unless you use that qualifying word, it is assumed to mean all, grammatically speaking.

Second, because you cannot see what I look like, I used the name “A White Guy” only to let you know that I am a white male. That’s it. I picked that “name” on the fly, because I saw that phrase a lot in your blog. I don’t live my life dwelling on being white and I would not have even brought up the subject if not for your blog being almost entirely about ethnicity.

You don’t know me at all. If you did know me, you would know that I don’t look down on anyone who is “different” from me. On the contrary, I love the diversity in humanity. So, naturally, I resent these generalizations.

Also, when I first posted under the name “A White Guy” it was on the topic “Black women that white men like.” You stated: “The features of her face can be black, but not too black.” I wanted to let you know that there are white men, including myself, who appreciate the beauty of women with strong ‘Afrocentric’ features.

Abagond 0 if or when you do the tattoo post – let me know..>I have a whole series of pictures of my tattoo session…up close on the process. I love to be able to express my inner soul externally. I never felt very beautiful on the outside until I was able to express how I think I look on the inside. Now I feel alot of the time like the most powerful, glorious women in the world.

This page is a place to put down ideas for posts before I forget them, so some of them are not yet well formed or thought-out – yet. It is a kind of womb for future posts.

So while it is good to point out what you did, please do not go on to assume that it is what I ordinarily think or anything.

If I said something like that in a completed post, then that would be different since I do put some thought into what I write and try to choose my words carefully. (But even then I tend to have this way of talking in absolutes).

suggestion – the twins born in london to bi racial parents – two sets of twins – one is white in appearance – one is much darker – paper calls them white and black twins…one would be suject to white advantage the other not…

Instead of analyzing your ideas of what “white America” finds attractive in black women, why not do a list or at least an analysis on how “black America” define beauty in their women. What do black women themselves think of their beauty? What famous black women appeal most to black folks? That would be very interesting.

That would be extremely interesting, but how would I go about nailing down “what famous black women appeal most to black folks”? Do I use Essence or Smooth? Not only do they have different ideas of black female beauty, but it comes down to what some editors in New York think.

Exactly, the same way assessing Maxim or Cosmo represent more of a editorial board’s ideas than the common person’s.

You see how complex it all is?

You could gather such information by doing what you did for the previous post, gathering online lists of beautiful black female celebs decided and compiled by blacks (supposedly). Yet, really, what would they prove? Then again, it could play as a ancedotal constrast to the other list.

What black female celebs have you seen the blacks who you’ve known or observed really take to?

You could gather such information by doing what you did for the previous post, gathering online lists of beautiful black female celebs decided and compiled by blacks (supposedly). Yet, really, what would they prove? Then again, it could play as a ancedotal constrast to the other list.

Good idea. At the very least it will be the (supposedly) black counterpart to “The most beautiful women according to white people”.

I honestly think you should take me up on my suggestion, Aba! Seriously. I’m willing to help you with it. It’s far more interesting and relevant than the other list. IMO.

All those women you named above, in answering my question, ARE beautiful. Funny, I’ve heard a lot of those ladies cited as beautiful by both blacks and non-blacks. I’m telling you, a lot of non-blacks dig Gabby. Her and Sanaa Lathan.

Jill Marie Jones and Vivica A. Fox are two black female celebs who I’ve heard many black folks (mainly males) rave about yet I never saw the “hype”.

Keisha Knight Pulliam, Lauren London, Meagan Good, Stacey Dash and Serena Williams also seem to get a LOT of love with many black Americans. Both from my own observations and others.

Like I was mentioning, we should really attempt to explore this. Just for constrast.

Okay. It will appear on Monday. Not Saturday – I promised Renee of Womanist Musings that I would do a list of black women I most admire before I put up another one of my tawdry little beauty lists. And not Sunday – that is when I write to my mother.

If you feel you understand how I did the tabulation for “the most beautiful black women according to white people”, you can do the tabulation if you are up for it. Search on “the most beautiful black women” in double quotes. If not I will do it. In either case I will do the write-up and post it on Monday morning.

I think you’d do a better job compiling the lists. I had difficulty finding the results you found, using the search terms you used on the other list.

I will tell you one thing though. Just from browsing internet discussions boards that are ran by (supposedly) black folks via the search terms you use: it seems like discussions of black female beauty inevitably turn into discourses in colorism and Western standards of beauty.

Yet, like one especially enlightned poster noted in the other list’s comment section, the conversation rarely veers into those waters when it comes to measuring black male attractiveness.

I am glad someone is bringing attention to the Nollywood actresses and also I would suggest talking about the actors too. It is my hope to sell the American black onto the films coming out of Nollywood and to hopefully improve the standard of the films so we can have big budget productions one day like Bollywood. Also, I have two books out and am looking for investors to make movies out of my work. Anyone interested please contact me at dasamota@yahoo.com. Thanx.

Wow, that is great news! Only the last link worked for me. You should make it more public, easier to get to. WordPress and Blogger are both free.

Also you should make the lettering bigger if you can. On Firefox on my MacBook there are almost ten lines an inch (2.7 mm per line). That is too small to read for long periods of time. Not sure if that is something you can easily change.

Dying in the line of duty is an honourable thing, something I respect and even admire, but, just to let you know, I do not get twisted out of shape over the death of policemen. For some background as to why, I used to live in the part of New York where Sean Bell was killed:

ATLANTA – A study of suicides in Fulton County found that blacks who
commit suicide aren’t as likely as whites to display telltale
suicide risk factors such as depression, health officials said
Monday.

I couldnt find a post on IR relationships BM to WW so I thought I would post here – verizon wireless commercial for the verizon hub – black husband sending directions to white wife. think it gets international play or just in areas where IR relationships are more commen.

Hello, great site here 🙂 I am looking for fans of celebs all over the world. If you have any fresh gossips with someone, i will appreciate your help 🙂 In exchange I can upload some top hottest stuff from my archive here. Regards! Waiting for links with good stuff, and free of course 🙂

My bro in law (who is a BM) stronly disagrees with some of your view points…agrees with others.

Your viewpoint of police is one he disagrees with.

He suggested I ask you your take on the three Pittsburgh cops who died…and if you assume that gunman was not killed because he is white –
my bro – in – law doesnt think it has anything to do with race.

I thought that policemen were trained to shoot you dead if you point a gun at them, no questions asked. Is that true? And if so, how in the world did the gunman in this case avoid getting killed while being able to kill three policemen himself?

Hey, could you touch on your thoughts of the United States of Africa? There’s even a Youtube lecture video of Dr. Molefi Asante on the topic entitled “Toward the African Renaissance”. What would it mean for Africa and the diaspora economically and psychologically?

This man had a vest on. There fore he lived. The head is a smaller target and harder to hit if a person is ducked down and hiding…they ended up shooting him in the legs. Chest shots wouldnt work.

People who die of police gun far are either shot in the chest and not wearing a vest or a cop got a lucky shot to the head or accidentally hit an artery – very few shooters are skilled enough to hit a person in the head or purposely hit an artery – if the victem is aware they are being shot at. Snipers are different issue since the victem is mostly unaware of the shooter. Your basic cop will aim for chest…if their is a vest on – then the person will probably live.

Cops were responding to the gunmans mothers 911 call. He met cops at the door with vest on and shot them in head before they were even aware this was something more than a mother and son fighting over the dog pee-ing on the carpet. Thats why they died and he didnt. Also why the shooter in oakland did die – no vest.

i miss the posts you used to do – less in response to comments and mroe on topics I wouldnt have thought off – old english, historical issues, books I havent had the chance to read. Your two posts on seeing a women and how time stopped for you are two of my favorites. Your new years day post was well written and moved me. just my two cents…their is so much evil and nastiness in this world – I enjoyed seeing beauty through your eyes.

Richard Wright’s Black Boy (the fully restored version by HarperPerennial). Amazing read! He has so many insights that are applicable to today that it should be required reading by all Americans, but most of all black boys themselves. So much has changed but so much has not and Wright illuminates the dysfunctions and quandaries of “Negro life” (both Southern and Northern) in so much stark detail that one cannot help but reflect on their contemporary counterparts. Wright’s autobiography is about the development of a mind against forces that would deny him his own humanity. I can’t recommend this book enough to friends and family, urging them to forget their preconceptions and to just read the book.

I would like you to post things about Africa before europeans’ overseas expansion, such as Mali, Ghana or Gaza Empires. Those are african history pearls that should not be forgoten, because the only way to change the future is understanding our past.

Here I leave you a couple sites, in wich you can find lots of beautiful africans:

Hi there! Love your blog! I am a middle-aged black American female who is dating a middle-aged white American man. One of the things that I’ve noticed is the tendency to show famous BM/WW IR couples together in the media and in magazines quite frequently (i.e. Seal and Heidi Klum), but to only show the female side of BW/WM IRs (i.e., Alfre Woodard and Roderick Spencer).

I know why it is, but simply wanted to open up a dialogue with others on the site to discuss it and hear their opinions, which could be different from mine.

Not only it is difficult to see BW/WM celebrity couples in the media and popular entertainment magazines (Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry seem to be the only ones), but I have been hard pressed to find info and pictures of famous couples on the internet as well.

How many people are aware that the prince of Lichtenstein is married to a black woman and has a child with her? Check out this comment written by a poster who is wondering why this is as well.

Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 – 12:01 am:
After all the drama with Prince Albert, I thought I’d share a love story with you.

In what some are considering a modern-day Cinderella story, former New York fashion designer, Angela Brown, wed Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein in a fairy tale Manhattan wedding on January 29, 2000.

Angela Brown, the daughter of Mr. Javier Francisco Brown and Mrs. Silvia Maritza Brown, was born in Bocas del Toro / Panama on February 3rd, 1958. She attended high school in New York and studied fashion at the Parson’s School of Design. For three years, she sold her designs under the name A. Brown and also was employed until September 1999 by fashion designer Adrienne Vittadini.

Prince Maximilian, born on May 16, 1969. He attended school in Liechtenstein and earned a degree from the European Business School in Frankfurt in 1993. He currently works for Industri Kapital, a leading European private equity firm, in Hamburg.

The couple met while Prince Maximilian was working for Chase Capital Partners in New York City in 1997. They became friends and began a courtship in the summer of 1999.

The were wed at Saint Vincent Ferrer Church in Manhattan at 11:00 a.m. on January 29, 2000. The couple was joined by a few hundred friends and family members for the ceremony.

Based on America’s obsession with European royalty, why haven’t we heard more about this union?

I agree. I didn’t know about Prince Max’s marriage either until I saw mention of it on some internet message board! There’s so many more examples of noted white men with their black wives (and children). They’re rarely covered by the pop media. George Lucas, Wolfgang Puck, Clint Eastwood, Colin Farrell, Billy Bob Thorton, Ben Broufman and so many more: all involved with black women for significant amounts of time. Yet, those relationships rarely got any media shine.

It’s the same with the many famous black women who married white men. You’d be surprised by the large number of noted black women who fit that criteria. Why? Because they weren’t that publicized.

I agree with you regarding the fact that these relationship are not publicized.

My belief is that mainstream society wants to continue to present the white female as ‘the’ ideal standard of what is beautiful and desirable. God forbid, that a black woman is perceived to be just as attractive and desirable as her white counterpart .

Showing that there are white men around the world who date and marry black women challenges the white standard of beauty. Therefore, it must be kept on the down low. On the other hand, it will make headline news if the white guy sleeps with and has a child out of wedlock with a black woman, but refuses to marry her (Prince Albert).

Ben Broufman – Didn’t know who he was until I read about him on Wikipedia.

Clint Eastwood and Dina Eastwood. Personally I think it’s a stretch to describe someone who is 1/4 black, 1/4 Japanese, and 1/2 European as being black. (Also her father was raised by a Hispanic family not a black family so I would suspect he would have more a Latino than a black identity..)

I knew about Wolfgang Puck and his Ethiopian wife.

I don’t know anything about Colin Ferrell and his wife/wives but on Wikipedia it only shows that he has been married (and now divorced..) to a white woman.

Billy Bob Thornton has been married 5 times.. the only one I knew about before today was Angelina Jolie. He wasn’t really famous when he was married for two years to his third wife (Cynda Williams who is black..) Jolie and he also made a spectacle of themselves.

Prince Maximilian – never heard of him before now.. and how many people could find Lichtenstein on the map.. or care..? People in the US are generally only interested in British royalty. As for royalty in general.. all I can say is a big raspberry. Royalty is an anachronism in the modern age and to me is complete nonsense although I will say that Prince Max and his wife make a striking couple. As Prince Albert of Monaco.. once again another royal twat (and not British..) who cares about these smucks.

Lucas and Mellody Hobson aren’t married and don’t have any kids. (I didn’t know about any of his previous relationships until I read Wikipedia including the one with Linda Ronstadt..)

I wanted to add that I do feel that individuals who express their disdain over seeing BW/IR couples have a right to do so in response to the article; however, as someone who is in an IR with a white man myself, I feel that they have no right to personally insult or attack me and my boyfriend if they take offense to our public displays of affection (i.e. holding hands and kissing).

Check out this recent article regarding the the best places to kiss, and note the outrage that many people in St. Louis, MO expressed when they saw the pic of the IR couple kissing.

Wow. I thought Americans were beyond all that. I guess those Hollywood producers who will not let Will Smith kiss a white woman in their films have a better sense of the country than I do, as dark as I sometimes paint it!

There is a big difference between two regular people expressing their affection and the media portraying an atypical, contrived image of interracial romance. Missouri is 85% white! Would you expect a different response if it were two white men kissing, or a Muslim couple in turban and burka?

To me it reeks of a dying newspaper trying to stir up publicity in a last-ditch effort to save itself. It was a conscious decision to put this image on the cover. This was not an article about interracial romance, and the people in Missouri do not see this as a “normal” couple. So there is naturally some backlash from people who wonder why this image was selected. People want a newspaper that appeals to and represents themselves, not one that misrepresents their community.

I’ve noticed that oftentimes, both black men and black women will put each other down in order to justify dating outside of the race. My question is:

Why does the reason for dating a white (pink, blue, or red) person have to be because there’s something wrong with or lacking with the opposite sex within one’s own race?? I get tired of hearing black men justify their reasons for dating white women by putting down all black women. LIkewise, I feel the same way about black women who do the same when they choose to date white men.

My decision to date a white man does not mean that I find fault with black men. Good and bad men come in all different colors. I was married to a black man for 12 years. Even though we got divorced, we still remain friends and keep in touch. Trying a different flavor of ice cream doesn’t mean that I don’t like chocolate; it simply means that I enjoy other flavors as well 🙂

I have often heard people who are against BW/WW IRs argue against marrying outside of one’s race because the divorce rate is higher. Do you feel that couples in these types of IRs have a higher chance of getting divorce than same race couples? According to the author of this YouTube video, the answer is no.

Marriage is hard enough when married to someone of your own race, so it would stand to reason that it would be harder and more likely to fail if you married outside your race. But if the numbers say otherwise for certain pairings, then so it is.

Perhaps – if one is willing to get married and risk the negative thoughts in the first place, then they have the mindset to fight through the other trials that occur in marriage. perhaps IR relationships for that reason are more likely to succeed then same race marriages.

They have already stood up in front of their families and said I choose this person…often the families being the first to be against IR relationships. So the other trials in life, they are ready for them…

I have been at my job for over a year along with me, there are two or three other black women. They always get us mixed up even though we look NOTHING a like. We’re all different shapes, sizes, complexions and you would think after a year, they would be able to distinguish us.

This happens all of the time. White people telling you that you look like or mistaking you for someone who looks nothing like you. It takes away your sense of individuality and uniqueness. It just shows that they put us all in the same category.

It is really irritating because we all would like to be seen as individual and unique.

Would you please do a blog about why some white people think we look so much a like?

I think posts about the varying music scenes of Africa would be great! It could be a good oppurtunity to compare African music styles with Africans of the Americas’ music styles.

You could do a piece about Malian music and then have videos with the kora. Or you could have a piece about Nubian music of southern Egypt/northern Sudan. Or Habesha (Ethiopian/Eritrean) music or any cultures of Africa!

Have you ever heard of Helm Magazine? Its a magazine Ethopian Magazine that features beautiful black women from Ethoipa and has issues on fashion and entertainment. This magazine puts Maxim and the others to shame. Its a wonder I’ve never heard of it. I’ll provide you with a link.http://www.helmmagazine.com/

Frank Lombard is an associate director at Duke University’s Global Health Institute and a homosexual who was charged last week with the molestation of his adopted 5-year-old black son and actively trying to sell him for sex on the internet.

No AP organizations have picked up on this story, however the Duke Lacrosse players were splattered all over the news and the black stripper was pilloried when it was suspected she was lying.

Here there is proof that Lombard and his white partner adopted a Black child in order to molest him and then pimp him out to the highest bidder. Although I support Gay adoption, the racial and sexual politics associated with this story is sickening.

A Sudanese: A good idea – doing posts on different styles of African music. But I have to warn you, I will be more interested in West African music since it is bound to have had a greater effect on the music I know.

Also when you have time, I think you should do a post on the Romani People. The Romani or Roma are the most hated group in Europe and the reasons that many Europeans give for why they are considered a scourge is due to crime, welfare leeches, low morals, low IQ’s, indiscriminate breeders draining precious resources, prostitution, gang violence, pickpockets, etc. which are the exact same reasons that Whites and other Non-blacks in America despise and loathe Blacks. In addition, they were one of the largest minorities that were exterminated during the holocaust http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/people/victroma.htm, yet they are largely effaced from the record. One of the best books that I have read on the Romani was Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey, by Isabel Fonesca. Also here is an interesting article on the Suffering of the Romani people and their tortured history in Europe: http://www.swp.ie/index.php?page=166&dept=News

It is amazing that these people are perceived almost identically to Blacks and how they are often corralled and alienated from the majority culture an thus forced to create a unique culture of their own in order to survive and yet in modern times they are still vilified.

May yuo, please, include things South African on your blog? I hereby forward you to FAcebook pages that may draw your interest and deepen your appreacition in the black world generally. The two Facebook links that I provide are two to do with South African women acting talent and TV anchoring. I hope you find them of interest enough to draw your attention.

How about a blog that describes why each race feels justified in their own racism towards others. Where does it start off? Families against families, tribes against tribes and so forth. An idea of what your solution to this inbred problem whould also be great.

Not sure what to make of this website. I have to look at it some more. Does this blog ever put down black women? If so, please tell me where. The blogger says he is a black man, but from what I have seen so far it makes way more sense as a bitter satire staged by a black woman.

article found in Toronto star Africentric school makes history
Toronto’s Africentric Alternative School
Principal Thando Hyman-Aman took the media on a tour of the city’s controversial Africentric school. Video by Randy Risling. (Sept. 03, 2009)

Tara Walton?TORONTO STAR
Shyheim Laryea (right) is joined by teacher/librarian Veronica Sullivan during Tuesday’s opening assembly at Canada’s first Africentric Public School in Toronto.(Sept. 8, 2009) Email story
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From the opening assembly, the Africentric Alternative School began weaving African culture into Ontario school culture.

Students sang “O Canada,” followed by a black national anthem written a century ago by a Florida poet, then said a pledge – “The Best Possible Me” – popular in Africentric schools in the U.S. It includes a promise to take school seriously.

“Let me hear you say ‘best!’ called principal Thando Hyman-Aman, a part-time jazz singer and the parent of a student at the school. She will lead a bid to lower the 40 per cent dropout rate among black students by stretching the curriculum beyond its European roots

How about a post on South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba? She was so beautiful both in looks and personality, pure elegance. She was married to Stokely Carmichael at one point.

Or, maybe she can be your ‘Black Beauty of the Day’ some time – she was mesmerizing when she was young. Even though she’s a little older, I still find her stunning as she sings in the link below. Now she has got some killer eyes! At 3 mins/30 seconds in the video when she looks straight into the camera, her eyes just hypnotize me!

Maybe you should try to be more informed and post a blog about the war in congo, since 1996 it has make between 6 to 8 millions human, and as stated in the french wikipedia : “the most deadly conflict since WWII…” this sentence defines it all.

Women raped with knifes, children raped and killed, 6 millions of people murdered,…

My country is living and suffering way more than any other black nation has endured. And no one is talking about it.

Every month 38000 people die… can you imagine that ??? 38000 everymonth… so every month you kind of drop a nuclear bomb on a small town.
Every month since 1996 more or less.

I don’t think that the world is smart enough to realise that, it looks so far away for people, especially when the medias are not talking about it…
If no one mention it then it probably doesn’t exist…

The trouble with writing about Africa is that it is hard to tell what is going on there. There is the BBC and so on, but they do not seem to give a clear picture.

If you can recommend any good sources of information I would be more than happy to do a post on it. (I would also like to do one on the LRA in Uganda.) If you think the BBC is good enough, then I can go with that.

Ok, i see your post on Nkunda, which i consider as being a part of the devil, the other part is all the big corporate companies that benefit from the death of millions in congo.
Nkunda is not congolese, he is from rwanda, but as it happened when Kabila (father) came in 1997. A lot of rwandes people claimed to be congolese, which is not the case…

I’m not going to write the story here, so i’ll stop.

But if you want more informations, there is always some part of the story in the french version of Wikipedia when you look at “guerre au congo” (war in congo), also in the english part and mostly about the “coltan” (search for it in wikipedia you’ll be amazed on what the war is about).

There are countless of websites about that conflict, if i manage to find some, i’ll send you the link.

I’m requesting that you do a post on Black Woman/Asian Man relationships. I don’t know how many comments you would get as it is so rare, but I was in one and would be curious if anyone else has experienced that.

I’m an African American female who has dated two Asian guys in the past. One was from Thailand and the other was an ABC (American Born Chinese). Perhaps because it was rare, people hardly paid us any mind when we were out in public together.

It’s not very common, but I’ve seen BW/AM couples and their children here and there (in Los Angeles) over the years.

Once, a young woman, who happened to be enrolled in the same community college course as I was, approached me during a class break and introduced herself. She then showed me pictures of her Japanese dad and her African American mom. This young lady was quite beautiful and exotic looking with her dark chocolate skin, long straight hair, and Asian facial features.

Thanks Leigh. Are they any Negritos in the Philipines? I usually read about them in Polynesia. I knew a guy who was Tongan and he believed that Pacific lslanders had their own set of issues that were unique to the Asian experience and believed they should be seperated. In places like Australia, some Pacific Island groups like the Samoa are not model minority asian, etc.

Also do Filipinos generally liked to be grouped with Southeast Asia or Pacific Islanders?

Yes, there are Negritos living in the Philippines. I do think that the P.I. experience is different from that of the Asian experience.

Also, regarding Filipinos being grouped with East/SE Asians or as Pacific Islanders, I can tell you from personal experience, there is this thinking among many North American born Filipinos who believe they are Pacific Islanders rather than Asians. Sure, the Philippines is located in the Pacific, but that’s pretty much it. When I think of P.I’s, I think of the Samoans, Tongans, Tahitians, etc.

Mind you, other Asian ethnicities particularly East Asians look down on Filipinos claiming Filipinos aren’t Asian enough. Whatever that means. Anyways, I consider myself Asian not P.I. as I look very much Asian.

I feel for this young woman. It’s truly shameful how she is being mistreated through no fault of her own. She just wanted to enter a contest and little did she realize it would be made into some big deal.

Very interesting. I was thinking about some of the literature I read with some Filipinos wanting to be categorized with Pacific Islanders and I have read how Pacific Islanders want to be completely separated from Asian since their interests often clash with East Asians.
Thank you for answering some of my questions Leigh.
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I was reading about Lou Jing after it was posted here. It’s amazing that she looks like a lot of regular Black women I know. She is pretty and I find it amazing that her mother withstood all that and raised her daughter by herself. There is a disgusting double standard In China, when it’s known that Chinese men are inveterate cheaters and are known to have mistresses galore. But the mother is being demonized. The fact that Lou Jing is being persecuted because she is half Black is even more of a double standard, since China and places like Japan exoticize and idolize Eurasians. If she had been White and Asian it would have never been an issue—she may have even won the talent contest.
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Suggestion: Cape Verdeans. Many are African and Portuguese. Their island is off the coast of Angola. They were respected Whalers and many settled in MA. Fascinating people and culture. One of my favorite singers from that island is Ceasaria Evora.

Here’s a suggestion, abagond. I just saw a trailer of Chris Rock’s documentary “Good Hair” and the issues BW have regarding their hair. The scene with the canned soft drink dissolving in the same solution used on BW’s hair was certainly eye opening.

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with the hypocrisy regarding married Chinese men and their mistresses. I also happen to agree that if Miss. Lou Jing was half white rather than half black, she would have been more readily accepted and perhaps even lauded for her half white heritage.

I think that because of this national uproar in China over Miss Lou Jing’s mixed raced heritage, it will, hopefully, cause people to start to challenge deeply ingrained racial prejudices that many Chinese have towards mixed raced citizens who are half black. Will it change the mindset of hardcore racists? Absolutely not, but I believe that talking about it openly is a start towards creating a more tolerant society, as it forces people to rethink and redefine what they traditionally perceived as beautiful.

In spite of the obstacles that she’s faced growing up in a homogeneous society, she demonstrates a great deal courage, has a strong sense of self esteem, and carries herself with great poise and dignity.

I agree that her mother certainly deserves a great deal of credit. Of course I am not excusing the fact that she had a an affair and the result of that affair was a child, but she could have easily aborted or had the child and quickly abandoned (China is the land where girl children are often killed or abandoned especially if the first born is not a son—thanks to the one child policy)—especially knowing full well that they child would be half Black—but she didn’t. That brave decision cannot be emphasized enough.

Lou Ching was also brave to publicly acknowledge her mother for all her sacrifices. I just think the hypocrisy is pathetic not only in the men who cheat with impunity—but the anti-Black stance that is pervasive not only in China but in places like Japan and Korea. Half Black children unless they blow up like Amerie are often seen as outcasts compared to Eurasians. I am not sure that this will spark a greater understanding or acceptance of Black and Half Black people in those societies. They are too racially homogenous and too invested in trumpeting their superiority, which is in direct contrast to Whites of whom for the most part they fawn over.

Just found this on youtube. It’s a show in Australia and the offensive blackface “tribute” to the Jackson Five (Jackson Jive) as this group was called. It stirred up quite a controversy due to the connotation of blackface in Australia differed from that in America. It’s worth checking out.

I could never figure out as there are many African religions, most black people would choose non-African ones for those who are religouly inclined. These religions are just as legitamte as any other. Many of them are also nature-based and quite spiritual.

When I find myself in a racist situation, I still find it difficult to somehow not assign blame to myself for somehow bringing it on. This after having spent years immersed in academic literature on critical race theory, sociology, social psychology and the like.

Interesting book alert:
A recent black graduate of the University of Washington, Lull Mengesha, has written a book called “The Only Black Student”, discussing his experience as one of the very few black students at a predominantly white university.

Interesting book alert:
A recent black graduate of the University of Washington, Lull Mengesha, has written a book called “The Only Black Student”, discussing his experience as one of the very few black students at a predominantly white university.

That looks very interesting and Lull Mengesha seems to be a very bright guy:

Life has taken Lull down an unanticipated yet rewarding path. As an undergraduate, he completed prerequisites for dental school and majored in economics, primarily because he felt that both of these areas of study were safe and practical. His senior year however, Lull made the decision to put dental school aside in pursuit of a more fulfilling profession. Throughout his life he had been interested in business, community service, and entrepreneurship, so he decided to develop his leadership skills.

After graduating from college, he started applying for jobs at consulting firms and local technical companies to put his economics degree to use. He took on various odd jobs, including working for a cleaning service and tutoring high school and early college students before Boeing offered him a great position as a Functional Analyst. Lull is in the process of receiving his Master of Science Degree in Information Management and saved enough money over the past few years to purchase his first home. Looking back, people didn’t expect students from his high school to graduate, let alone pursue advanced degrees.

Recently, Lull has gathered a small team of young working professionals and created the PolyMath Group. An educational consulting group focused on tackling many of the issues that Lull discusses in his book by conducting workshops with students. Steady progress, hard work and a few receptive schools have already shown this venture to be highly needed.http://lullmengesha.com/thebook/?cat=5

Hey abagond,
There aren’t many posts about BW-BM relationships. So could you minutely analyse:
– the decreasing reason of endogamous relationships (between blacks)
– why the great majority of black men are not faithful (comparing to other races) and yet they feel proud of it.
And many other factors that contribute to progress BW-BM relationships

I think you should do a post on Elizabeth Lambert (and how Blacks are treated differently in sports compared to White women specifically), a White soccer player that was suspended for being violent on the field and contrast that with Serena Williams who was lambasted and villified as going apesh*t, becuase that is what Black people do.

Notice how much scrutiny and attention Serena got compared to Elizabeth Lambert, even though she was suspended from the team. Lambert even admitted that a lot of men came out of the woodwork to congratulate her and even asked her out. Notice how many men crucified Serena as unfeminine, becuase that is how Black women usually act.

On the face of it, it does not seem like a clear example of a racist double standard: Serena is a much bigger public figure. Her behaviour will be held to a higher standard and her misdeeds will be more newsworthy.

Like if President Obama was caught smoking crack with an old girlfriend, that would be seen as a hundred times worse than what Marion Berry did as mayor.

More promising might be to find examples in the press where Serena’s behaviour was racialized, as standing for all black people, where Lambert’s failings were seen as merely personal, not as a case of “you know how bitchy white women can be”.

Abagond can you do a post on the whole phrase “Get over it” you know like “Black people need to forget about slavery it’s all in the past” etc. forgetting that what happend during slavery and colonial times has was ingrained so deep that it effects many people today.

I was thinking about doing it myself but I’m having trouble with writing it.

I have had that phrase said to me by white people and very few black people even though I was not complaining but just sharing my experience it was seen as complaints. To the white people who have said this I have told them to get over London’s 7/7 bus and train bombing because the past is past.

Early in the 1800s, some Cherokees acquired slaves, and in the 1830s, enslaved African Americans accompanied the Cherokees when the federal government forced them to move to Indian Territory (Oklahoma), where the tribe struggled to rebuild its culture and institutions. By 1861, there were 4,000 black slaves living among the Cherokees.

After the Civil War, the tribe signed a treaty that granted former slaves, or freedmen, “all the rights of Native Cherokees.” But in 2007, Cherokees amended their tribal constitution, making “Indian blood” a requirement for citizenship. As a result, some 2,800 descendants of Cherokee freedmen were excluded from membership.

I understand that you’re conservative. I’d be very interested to learn your thoughts on the state of black business (and perhaps even the racial wealth gap). Even your opinion on Claude Anderson and his concept of Powernomics and the fact that black people do not have enough of their own businesses and spend most of their money on other racial groups.

I know that I’m not allowed to post in the “Halle Berry …not most beautiful” thread but I do want to contribute some commentary to what the conversation has transpired into: yet another debate on colorism and how it affects American black women.

If you wouldn’t mind, is there a way I can allowed back in the thread. “Soul” seems to have gone and I have no intentions of losing my cool with anyone. No matter how inane they come across as.

Islandgirl is right on target. The same prejudice that can hurt “darker” black women also affects their lighter counterparts equally.

Black women, as a whole, are not victims who are hard pressed to be told that they are beautiful. That view is actually quite patronizing, no?

Also, Kanye and Ne-Yo never made derogatory remarks about black women. But like Islandgirl pointed out, both them and their comments are irrevelant to us in the real world as we do not live on a video set.
(BTW, do most people even know who Yung Berg is? Why would any intelligent adult use some C-list rapper to give credibility to an arguement? LOL)

Jasmine is also absolutely correct. You hear black folks complain about “colorism” but it seems that they are the ones who perpetuate it the most against themselves. Hopefully, a future blog on creating solutions to this eternal issue will be posed soon. Lord knows that many of us (of all races) need it!

I really think that the “solutions to colorism” post by me, you and Lynette should really be done. Discussions like the one in the “Berry…not most beautiful” post go on all the time on the internet yet they never seem to get anywhere.

I don’t mean to be glib, but here’s a solution to colorism. Economically empower black people to own businesses and real estate so that black folk won’t have to turn to white standards as a sign of who can better assimilate and appease white society. When we stand in our own power, we can begin to make the rules.

I like the idea of a “solutions to colorism” post. My personal opinion is that it starts in the home. No matter what the media says, an individual gets his/her strongest and most informative lessons from parents and other family members. I know that my family runs the gamut, from my youngest sisters who are light-skinned to the sister right under me who is pretty dark-skinned (I’m in the middle). Most people say all of us are gorgeous (;-)), and our differing skin tones have never been commented on as one being “better” than the other. I hope people start to realize how harmful the comments they make about skin color can be to their children’s psyche.

I would like to see a blog about the most gorgeous men. I know men don’t want to acknowledge another man’s beauty, but most men aren’t blind and can see their beauty. It sometimes gets boring just talking about women.

i have a question for you abagond. why is it that some people think white men who think black women are attractive are seen sometimes as weirdos who think less of BW,or who only see them as objests,etc? Isnt it possible that he just favors different traits than blonde hair\light skin? it seems theres a catch 22 with some peoples opinion, saying white guys think BW are ugly, but when one DOES like them, then theyre a racist freak whos living out some sort of “slave\master” kink. its all very insulting to me as a white male,but mostly confusing. Thank you.

White men get a bad name because of the few who are attracted to black women most of them just use them for sex. Not to say that there are not some white men who want a serious relationship, but they seem to be the exception.

“20% are attracted but too chicken to ask one out”
“1% are serious” ok, so who says these two groups cant be the same. it could also be true in reverse, that 70% of blck women dont find WM attractive,etcetc. Well, i think its a case of “why not just go with whats comfortable?” this is what i her often hen discussing these kind of things with people. i know that the 1st black woman i dated thought i was a “scuzz ball”, as you put it in your article, but later, we would always talk of these issues together, and learned that the main problem is that people have a tendancy to stick within the context of what theyre used to, whether it be race,neiborhood,music,etc. And if you put those 3 things together, it can make a white person whos into rock from the sububs and a black person from the city who likes hip hop that much more distant, unfortuately. i think the percentages you came up with represent whats on the surface, whats believed to be reality. at least i hope the 70% isnt right, cuz i cant see why….but thats me, anywho, thankya.

White men get a bad name because of the few who are attracted to black women most of them just use them for sex. Not to say that there are not some white men who want a serious relationship, but they seem to be the exception.

I do not have any studies or surveys to back it up, but it seems to go something like this:

70% of white men are not attracted to black women
20% are attracted but too chicken to ask one out
9% ask them out but want just one thing
1% are serious

Black women should be able to supply better numbers than mine.

laromana says,
abagond,
Thanks for providing these helpful stats that help to clarify why BW/WM IRR’s are more challenging than NON-BW/WM IRR’s.

confused,
As an Afrolatina American woman I can tell you that all my life I’ve known MANY BW (Afrolatina BW, African BW, Carribean BW, African American BW) who were attracted to or even preferred WM but kept being rejected by American WM who were AFRAID to be in a relationship with them or only wanted to USE a BW but not SERIOUSLY DATE/MARRY them. For those WM who GENUINELY like BW and were COURAGEOUS enough to SERIOUSLY DATE/MARRY them (regardless of what ANYONE might think) they had NO PROBLEM finding EXCELLENT BW who were also interested in SERIOUSLY DATING/MARRYING WM.

TODAY, I see MORE American (most younger) WM who CHOOSE to approach BW in the SAME WAY they would a NON-BW and these American WM are SERIOUSLY DATING and MARRYING BW.

I just discovered your post on Good Hair but I don’t think it covers the topic I’m concerned with. Maybe it was covered and I missed it. Anyhow, I apologise if it has been discussed already.

I guess some ideas could be:

Why long hair is important to Black women,
Why long hair is important to men,
Black women and Hair,
Black women with Long Hair,
Why most men like long hair?,
Why women try to obtain long hair?,
Why Black women think they can’t grow long hair?,
Black women can grow long hair!,
Black women don’t need to be mixed to have long hair,
It’s not the Indian in your family it’s the haircare,
It’s the haircare not the Indian in your family,
Is short hair a disadvantage for Black women?,
Do men prefer women with long hair?,

I think the hair issue is almost as big as the light skin, dark skin issue.

I agree the hair post is a good idea–I think I am going to write a post soon about Black women as slaves to the beauty shop, which I think contributes to the hair stereotypes and the extent of damage in some women’s hair.

That would be a great post Jasmin! IMO, relaxers are evil.lol They are so damaging to your hair and health. And black women are made to believe that they have no other options but to spend $50 every week or two.

There is also Sony, I-Rex, Foxit, Cybook etc, etc. Sony is also coming out with a new model that you can download newspapers and magazines from. The market is about to take-off as the technology improves!

Please do a post on black police officers and how they deal with racism from white cops.

Here we clearly see a mob of Whites engaging in unruly, disorderly conduct. After the officer explained that he is a police officer, and had his gun un-holstered in display, he was hit with another snowball. The crowd clearly was engaging in mob-like activities… They were verbally abusive, and highly confrontational to the officer…

When the police back up came, they did nothing to assist in dispersing the crowd, they did not confront any of the members of the unruly crowd who were yelling and verbally assaulting the officer…

In fact, the police officers came and starting showing the crowd how to log a complaint against the plain-cloths wearing detective…

They even suggest that they get his name and badge number information, what’s worse is that all while this is going on, the officer is being verbally assaulted, so much so, that he has to run into the crowd and attempt to make an arrest…

Bottom line, there appears to be two forms of law enforcement going on in America, both forms favor Whites…where as Black police officers don’t appear to have the same authority to engage Whites as White officers appear to have unlimited latitude to engage Blacks…

This ‘snowball fight matter’ is under investigation, BECAUSE THE BLACK COP PULLED HIS GUN, not because the crowd was not dispersed, not because one of them hit the officer in the face with a snowball after the officer said he was an officer…none of that…it’s under investigation because the Black officer pulled his gun…

Disturbing…

Meanwhile, White officers are killing unarmed Blacks like it is going out of style in America, but this officer is under investigation for showing his gun briefly to a White crowd… and the crowd gets to curse him, and hit him with snowballs for showing his gun briefly…

First thing is what I call “default human” problem. I’m not sure if that’s the right name for it, so maybe you already blogged about it. It’s about the belief member of one group (usually, white male) is a default human being. It can often be seen in movies, for example, but it is, of course, more serious than that. It’s the belief that creates such things as “spaceship crew” members in films (6 people, one woman and one black guy) sort of things. Like I said, portrayal in movies is just a start. Hope you understand what I mean by “default human”. Why is white male considered “default”?

The other thing is “good hair”. I know you blogged about it, but I still don’t understand what it means. Perhaps there’s another blog that explains this issue?

A post on natural hair would be great. There is so much you can do with natural hair in terms of a topic. Especially when you compare it to straight hair. As someone who use to permanently straighten my hair with a chemical relaxer, I feel more freedom than I had when I was trying to maintain high maintenance hair. I feel authentic as a human being.

One of my biggest concerns as a relaxed person was how would I take care of my hair when I traveled around the world. Who would I get to care for it? Surely Europe and China would not have a stylist that relaxes hair. This is what I though years ago. Once I decided to accept my hair for what it is I don’t worry about who’s going to care for it because I do it myself and it actually looks better than a salon stylist could ever do.

I’m actually much more uninhibited as a woman. I don’t fear rain or physical activity that will revert my hair back to it’s curly texture. I’ve never worn fake hair so I love my hair touched but not by strangers. My hair is long and healthy and when I wear it down I attract more attention with long hair than I did when my hair was shoulder length. I feel feminine and pretty.

Long hair and the feminine aspect of having long hair could be a great topic and a question to ask me could be do you find women or Black women more or less feminine with or without long hair. I know for a fact that most men prefer a woman with long hair and the others are just indifferent as long as the woman looks, acts or dresses feminine. Except there was one suitor who wanted me to cut my hair short. The nerve!

I get more looks, flirts, dates, and flirty comments from men when my hair is down and flowing. It doesn’t have to be straight to be flowy. Just down and long. I also get treated better by people of all races and genders. Usually if I step onto a crowded bus wearing a feminine outfit and wearing my hair down men will give their seats up. Men are more courteous and chivalrous. Could it be that men are less chivalrous because women are more masculine in their appearance and demeanor? Another topic which isn’t race specific.

I’d love to read about natural hair, I want to know what it means. And what it means as the opposite of “relaxed hair”.

Why do black people (I am assuming we’re talking about black people) hate when someone touches their hair? (Apart from the general invasion of privacy; I don’t think anyone loves when strangers touch them, their hair especially- I know I dislike it).

I believe men tend to like feminine women. Even women accept feminine women better.

Can we have an article on how mixed race individuals differ in experiences of their physical appearance and phenotypes. (For example is there a difference in a mixed race person who looks more White in a appearance than someone who does not?)

Mira I can’t really speak for Black people, I can only speak for myself and I like my hair touched in fact I like having my hair caressed or stroked like a kitten. And I’m not the only Black person that feels this way. We can’t go around assuming that all Black people feel one way. If a few loud mouths start screaming how they hate their hair being touched then they ONLY speak for themselves even when they try to speak for all Black people.

Natural hair is virgin hair that has not been permamently altered by a chemical relaxer. A chemical relaxer is a white cream that is left on the hair long enough for it to just loosen the curl or straighten it flat. It’s a very strong chemical that burns the scalp/skin if left on too long. It can be a painful process if the pores on your scalp are open or you have scratched your scalp around the time of getting a relaxer.
—————————————————————-
Mira
@ Nita

I’d love to read about natural hair, I want to know what it means. And what it means as the opposite of “relaxed hair”.

Why do black people (I am assuming we’re talking about black people) hate when someone touches their hair? (Apart from the general invasion of privacy; I don’t think anyone loves when strangers touch them, their hair especially- I know I dislike it).

I believe men tend to like feminine women. Even women accept feminine women better.

“Mira I can’t really speak for Black people, I can only speak for myself and I like my hair touched in fact I like having my hair caressed or stroked like a kitten. And I’m not the only Black person that feels this way. We can’t go around assuming that all Black people feel one way.”

I wasn’t really asking you, I “just asked” because I’ve heard about that issue only a while ago and I am interested.

Of course you can only speak for yourself (I wasn’t using you as a – what’s the word?- “native informant”); but like I said, I learned about the concept only a while ago and it seemed to me there’s more about it than the mere hairstyle issue. I am not interested in fashion, hairstyles etc., but I am interested if it has deeper meaning, such as identity. Of course nobody likes to be touched by a random stranger. I just thought there was more to this problem and I guess I was right.

Abagond, another idea for a post. We have consistently been taught that Columbus discovered the New World but there is another debate/controversy less mentionned. There is a possibility that Africans discovered the New World before him, an idea many refuse!

However a good argument against this is apparently, there was a Spanish ban against Africans travelling to the New World until 1501. This goes against some who believe that Columbus’s navigator (Pedro Alonso Nino) was African. There’s so much to add but I think you should cover this with a post.

Abagond, are you familiar with Deadria Farmer-paellmann? If not, it would be great to have a post on her. She is a researcher/activist/lawyer who recently (in 2000) exposed American corporate ties to slavery. Apparently, she has brought to light 60 corporations. Here are the links:

This just shows how deeply rooted America is in racism, for those that do not believe and for those that argue that racism is all in our minds. There is also a whole controversy that she ties into which is recompensation for descendants of slaves:

The problem with this Zethus is the racist belief that “African” features can only occur in Africa.

Yes, this is a problem. But another case of proof to the contrary would be Inuits and Native Americans. The Inuits crossed the Bering Strait from Siberia into Alaska during the Ice Age. Native Americans either did this as well or crossed the Pacific depending on the theory. Bottom line though, they are considered to be Siberians who ressembled Asians like Chinese and Koreans. Scientifically, they both have then been lumped under “Mongoloid” because of these ressemblances to Asians (ex: Inuits are believed to more ressemble East Asians than Native Americans). So, Asian features cannot only occur in Asia alone just as African features cannot occur in Africa alone.

I like the topic of how unmixed black women can have long hair also. I am a black woman that has long hair and I have had it most of my life. I don’t know if I am mixed (both of my parents are black) or not but I have met dark skinned women from Africa who have long hair also.

What about a post on these individuals
India Arie
Prince
Vanity- one of the most beautiful women in the world to me
Stacey Dash
Lark Voorhies
Michael Jackson- This was a wonderful man so please focus on the positive and not the alleged charges

Zethus, I did a paper on “Africans in the New World before Columbus” way back in undergrad, so I’m pretty familiar with all the arguments, pro and con.

Unfortunately, most of the data is really inconclusive or circumstantial and as far as I can see, Dr. Winters is a specialist in education who’s a 25 year vet of the Chicago public education system. Now, I’m sure Dr. Winters is a smart and educated man, but I haven’t found any information that he has a background in linguistics, archeology, forenci anthropology or anything else that would allow him to make the claims he makes.

Now, I could be wrong. Maybe I’m slandering Dr. Winters and if I am, I would hope someone would point it out. But from where I’m sitting, he just doesn’t look very qualified to make the claims he does. Furthermore, I see very few peer-reviewed articles by Dr. Winters and none at all on the Olmecs.

Looks to me like people are mistaking his hobby for his specialization.

My undergrad project was to develop a “primer” on some African American related topic, so I went out there and sucked up everything I could find on this possibility.

My personal belief, having read it all, is that some Africans almost certainly did make it over to the Americas before Columbus, but not enough to form a distinct “ethnic group” anywhere. The Olmecs are almost certainly a case of genetic drift and not an African immigrant group, in spite of what certain romantics would like to believe.

But manioc was in the New World before Columbus, for example. Sure, that African root could have drifted over on the tides. But the secret of making manioc edible to humans is a very complex thing. Of course, it could be that the Indians worked it out themselves: the world’s full of cases of parallel technological evolution. But it’s almost as likely that some Africans, lost at sea and recovered off the coast of South America, brought the root and the technology over.

I’d really like to see a post on Assata Shakur and the Rhineland situation. Though I’ve already read Assata’s biography and know quite a bit about her through documentaries etc. I still think it would be good for others to read about her story.

As for the Rhineland situation, that too needs to be highlighted. When I studied Hitler in school and the minorities he affected nothing was said about the Black German kids who got sterilized. When I asked why he didn’t mention it he couldn’t say anything as he knew next to nothing about it.

Though not mentioned in many history books it still is a vital part of Hitler’s misfortunes. If I’m correct he killed somewhere up to 500,000-1,000,000 Black Germans [I may be incorrect on the numbers].

I’d love to see a post on both of those topics. I don’t know if you’ve heard it but Common did a song about Assata Shakur in one of his old albums, maybe you could include it in your post. Here’s the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrWxrFr7TL4

I think we should also have a post on Africans vs. African-Americans/blacks.

Based on some experiences I’ve had, I’ve noticed some blacks have negative feelings about Africans and vice versa (ex: my father insists that blacks are hooligans and that he’d rather I marry an African like me).

Even that Coming to America movie showed a few ideas blacks have of Africans (not all, however). For example, Darryl and Akeem’s land lord had these NEGATIVE notions of Africans. For ex: Darryl tells Akeem, “Wearing clothes must be a new experience for you,” among other things! Also, the land lord shows them the bathroom they’ll all share, explains it has an insect problem and says, “Well you boys from Africa are probably used to that.” Then not to mention the “ignorant” racism displayed by Lisa’s father telling her she can’t be with Akeem as he is a goat herder or even Patrice fetishizing (or maybe it was just me thinking this) Semi as an “exotic” African prince.

Yet, I honestly believe that Africans and blacks are the same seeing as you can trace both their roots to Africa, so I just find it weird yet important to discuss. My own friend doesn’t believe me when I tell her about this divide as well as some other blacks I’ve talked to.

I second the topic on Africans and African Americans. I think that alot Africans and African Americans have misconceptions about each other. But what concerns me is that many Africans are under the impression that all African-Americans are ignorant about Africans. Maybe my exposure to Africans virtually my entire life makes me different, I’m not sure, but I have never had narrow minded perceptions of Africans. It concerns me that so many Africans have such a huge mistrust of African Americans. I know there are African Americans who are ignorant but not everyone.

I’d welcome a post on black traveling. Namely, how blacks have to approach travel which differs from whites. For example, a white may rave about Russia and how amazing Moscow is, but a black cannot just take off to Russia without doing some serious homework. It is an extremely racist country. The same can be said of many E. European nation that white travelers love to boast about visiting. Blacks travelers may also be received differently in Latin America than their white counterparts. Whites of course are oblivious to it and assume blacks will experience things no differently abroad than they do.

American whites feel that they have to play down their American-ness when traveling, but often, blacks have to play UP their American-ness for good treatment as many countries frown upon African immigrantion(such as France and Italy) but may be welcoming of African-American tourists.

China is known to be racist against blacks and Nigerian immigrants there aren’t treated very well. Yet whites are treated respectfully. Japan is difficult to pin down, I’ve heard good and bad.

I’ve heard about anti-black racism in the Arab world. Not a place most people associate with racism. Though it doesn’t seem to be uniformly bad. I’ve read that Lebanon is quite racist, which is disappointing as I’ve always wanted to visit that amazing country.

Also, some discussion of what countries are the most friendly to black visitors.

I agree with you. It is dangerous for African Americans to visit other countries. Many countries are very racist and blacks should be concerned when visiting them. After all, if blacks were to visit another country and something were to happen, this country wouldn’t fight to help us.

Well do what you gotta do, I’m just saying, it is an EXTREMELY dangerous country for blacks to be in as you will find if you simply google russia+racists+attacks. You sound a bit over-confident. Dealing with American whites who try to hide their racism is a hell of a lot different than Russian whites who are openly violent with their racism and walk around in gangs stabbing anybody that looks different. Watch the videos I posted, blacks that live in Russia are basically confined to their apartments and can’t even walk the streets for fear of their lives. I can’t imagine why any black person would want to go there, even if given a 1st class free ticket and hotel.

I second the topic on Africans and African Americans. I think that alot Africans and African Americans have misconceptions about each other. But what concerns me is that many Africans are under the impression that all African-Americans are ignorant about Africans.

That’s because many African-Americans are ignorant about Africans. Even on this blog with comments like “Africans come in two types.” But it’s not just them, and it’s not just Africa. Americans in general tend to be ignorant about other places and cultures. Some never bother to learn about other cultures unless they have to visit or live in another country or if they have friends who are not native Americans.

Deep inside, white people know black women are beautiful. They wonder if black women are interested in them.

I think this as well. Actually, some whites. Others don’t care much for black women. But some, like my bf, might be interested in black women but won’t approach because they assume black women are not interested in them.

Yes there are African Americans who are ignorant about Africa but the problem that I hear alot Africans complain about is the questions African Americans ask like” How do you know how to speak english” or ” Do most Africans live in huts”I discussed this with an African recently and he said that if a person ask you a question it is because they don’t know. How are you going to be angry with African Americans for being ignorant and then continue to be angry when they ask you a question? And African Americans aren’t the only ones who are ignorant about foreign cultures. Alot of people are ignorant about foreign cultures. Why not be angry with other people as well? The only reason why I know so much about Africa is becaused I discussed Africa with Africans and they told me about their homelands. Thats it. So the main way African and African Americans can learn about each other is through communication. It’s not the media presents positive images of Africans. I suppose people can read books and go on the internet I know, but one on one communication is important and that won’t happen if people are suspicuous of each other. So people should just let go of their resentments and move forward.

Being African myself Nigerian for that matter I do gert annoyed not angry when people share their ignorance about the continent. For example refering to Africa a monolithic entitiy or calling Africa a country.

“Oh you’re African? Do you speak African? My friend is African do you know him?”

And stuff like that come from different people White people, Asians, Afro Carribbeans.

But if someone ask a question and they geniunely are intrested and are not mocking me then it’s cool. Because they want to learn. (Although it is not my job to educate them on all thing African, I don’t even know all there is to know about Nigeria LOL)

“But if someone ask a question and they geniunely are intrested and are not mocking me then it’s cool. Because they want to learn. (Although it is not my job to educate them on all thing African, I don’t even know all there is to know about Nigeria LOL)”

I have a question and a genuine interest: I think in one of your comments you said you kissed your teeth (something I often do when reading comments). I thought that was just a West Indian thing. Do they do it Nigeria too or is it something you picked up in Britain? I want to know if it is something that goes back to West Africa.

People kiss their teeth in Nigeria, if I picked it up from anywhere it was most likely from my parents LOL. I think it goes back to Wet Africa becuase of my friends parents who are from Ghana, Sierra Leone etc do it too.

But yeah almost all of my friends who are black of Carribbean or African descent do it.

That is a good point – mostly whites are not that interested in the lives of black people, so it is suspect. If they truly cared that much, America would be a very different country. On the other hand, they do like to point out all the failings of black people.

Could you do a post on how skin bleaching isn’t exaclty the same and tanning because of their history. I had a serious argument about that with a boy in my class.

I mean seriously to any white commenters here could you tell me the last time you heard a tanned or dark shade white person say “I don’t want my children marrying any one lighter and whiter than them!” or “I only go for tanned men because pasty white men are this that and the other” ?????? Come on.

I actually hear some of it all the time, but it has nothing to do with race (or racism).

Pasty white men and women are considered unattractive in my culture. Period. While it has nothing to do with race, and it’s obviously not the same as saying “I don’t want my kid to marry a black man”, you can often hear comments about someone being ugly because of his white, non-tanned skin.
This is, I guess, a form of white colourism.

Yes there are African Americans who are ignorant about Africa but the problem that I hear alot Africans complain about is the questions African Americans ask like” How do you know how to speak english” or ” Do most Africans live in huts” I discussed this with an African recently and he said that if a person ask you a question it is because they don’t know. How are you going to be angry with African Americans for being ignorant and then continue to be angry when they ask you a question?

I don’t think they are angry at this as much as annoyed and insulted. I think Africans in general tend to have much pride in themselves and their culture so when someone asks a question like “Did you live in a hut?” they are going to be very offended.

And African Americans aren’t the only ones who are ignorant about foreign cultures. Alot of people are ignorant about foreign cultures. Why not be angry with other people as well?

Most Africans aren’t too keen on whites and other groups either, so it isn’t just black people. I think they feel a larger kinship with black Americans than any other group, actually, when it comes down to wire. They just dislike the stance that they view some black Americans to have: that of superiority. They feel that black Americans look down on them because they are from Africa.

The only reason why I know so much about Africa is becaused I discussed Africa with Africans and they told me about their homelands. Thats it. So the main way African and African Americans can learn about each other is through communication. It’s not the media presents positive images of Africans. I suppose people can read books and go on the internet I know, but one on one communication is important and that won’t happen if people are suspicuous of each other. So people should just let go of their resentments and move forward.

I agree and I think if you came up to most Africans with honest questions about their culture, they will gladly answer. It’s just when peope making assumptions about them that they dislike.

The gall of Pat Robertson blaming Haiti for what happened. I just saw some of the pictures of the devastating earthquake in Haiti and it’s heartbreaking to see such harrowing anguish and suffering. Fcuk Pat Robertson!

I’m suggesting a post on what would it be hypothetically if
the American dollar and British pound were devalued lower than (and other European currencies like the Euro) countries like India, Caribbean, Africa.

I meet so many people who are only in these countries because the currency is worth more, not because the quality of life is necessarily better.

How would they Americans/Europeans fare if they had a salary of say 30,000 but it only counted as a day’s pay in other countries…
I was thinking about South Africa. The Rand was on par with the dollar, then when a Black government got elected, the Rand devalued astronomically as the world lost faith in having a Black government.
It shows how impossible it is or how rules change when a Black person tries to get ahead. Some people prob saved money their whole life,only to have it worth pennies through no fault of their own..

The top paragraph are NOT my words I copied the comment from your most beautiful brazilian post. The only part I agree with is that darkskinned women are underrepresented in the media. And I too came to this website looking for a post on darkskinned women.

That has crossed my mind but the trouble is that it would quickly be followed by a hundred comments about this or that woman not being truly dark-skinned because everyone has their own idea of where to draw the line. Who is light, who is medium, who is dark? If I list only the Undeniably Dark, then fans of the Not Quite So Dark will feel slighted and ask why I did not include her. And so on. In addition, because the media tends to lighten black women, it is hard to tell who is just how dark. And so on. So I think the thing would be a mess.

It would be cool if you could do somethin on Alexander pushkin and his great grandfather Abram Petrovich Gannibal.
Alexander pushkin is the father of modern russian literature, and in my opinion one of the greatest poets of all time.
His great grandfather Gannibel was an african prince or slave(forget which one now) from etriea who rose up to prominence in russian society, a feat in itself.
both amazingly interesting historical figures.

Another mixed race european historical figure is Alessandro de’ Medici, Duke of Florence. His mother was a black moor slave and his father was recorded as Lorenzo II de’ Medici (but I think many scholars now believe his biological daddy was Pope Clement VII, covered up for obvious reasons).
he was about 19 when he become Duke and was 26 when he was assassinated by his cousin (after a power struggle within the family.
his assassination was likened to that julius casear by courtiers at the time .
Alessandro had three children, two of whom were rasied in the de medici family and married other Italian nobles.
There are the ancestors of many of europeans aristocratic and noble houses.

Black european historical figures are an interest of mine, It would be really cool if you cover some.
I also have an interest in african royalty.. my grandma was a descendent of the royals of kingdom of gaza.
But I can’t find much info on that except thishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_Empire
and I Also remember my grandma talk about the last king of gaza, i was surprised pleasantly to find an article about him on wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gungunhana

What I do not undestand is the whole 42% of successful african american women is such a big deal I mean if 42% that mean 58% that means it’s over half it might as well be 60%. If it isn’t 99.9% then there’s something wrong?

I agree with the others that you should do a post on that because the 58

I am more than interested in Pushkin and Alessandro de Medici (especially Medici; I am really interested in XVI century history). I didn’t know we were supposed to state here if we like someone’s suggestion or not.

Why don’t you do a post on the blaxploitation films of the 70s starring Pam Grier, if you are familiar with them? I just watched Foxy Brown and Coffy and were definitely entertained. Do you think they were liberating or degrading? How would these types of movies fare today in the industry?

I must admit I’ve never heard of Ida B. Wells before. *hides head in shame* I wiki’d her and from what I’ve read about her accomplishments, she’s a dynamic and remarkable woman. I want to know more about her. A post on Ida B. Wells, if you please, abagond.

Why not do a post on the stereotypes that are portrayed in gangsta rap music and videos?
These stereotypes set us back farther than any white man’s stereotype.
Gun toting, drug using, pimp slappin’, killer that’s gettin’ paid.
Or you could do a post on why some Black men spend more on their rims than they do their own children. I’ve seen some of the cars with those Zab Judha spinners. They cost more than some people’s houses. Black men are obsessed with their cars and stereos more than white people.

If you’re going to remostrate with someone for being racist then surely you might want to begin by refraining from that yourself wouldn’t you? It just discredits your point, so you end up like all those racists out there. Nothing to contribute except hot putrid air!

No one cares about race except black people. Blacks make more a of a big deal about it than any other group of people. Just let it go already. Life is not perfect. That doesn’t give you a reason to hate.

As someone suggested earlier Rap videos and the black ghetto stereotype could be a good topic.
I hate the stereotype that blacks always have to be ‘ghetto’ or ‘gangster’.
None of my black friends,family or indeed myself are like that.
I’ve had people before as soon as they find out I mixed race, attempting to conversate with me in ghetto slang. NO. I am a well educated classy young woman with no connection to the ghetto.
My black african grandmother was the most bright, witty, well mannered and elegant woman.
Its my angry to see the only images of black people in this west media as being Starving victims or dumb ghetto people.

It may be controversial for me to say but sadly I think the ghetto black stereotype is being heavily mantained by black youth.
I have done some work with inner city teenagers(btw I am only 20 myself) and many of them revel in the ghetto lifestyle.
A lot of them aren’t interested in going to university and get a degree or to live a good ambitious life because it is not ‘cool’, It won’t get them any ‘street respect’. with some people is almost like a love of ignorance.
the sad thing is the doors are starting opening to those young people.. there are beginnings of chances avaliabe to them that their great grandparents and maybe even their parents could not dream of.
They have some potential as ‘young gifted and black’ but they throw it away.

the light is that working there I did see a few young black people who were ambitious, that was a great to see such determination and talent.

Does anyone else agree with me here.

P.s. Abagond I would really apperciate if no-one could call me a ‘sock puppet’ anymore. I am not a troll or a pretend of anyone else.
I am just me sharing my view.
thankyou kindly.

I agree wholeheartedly! Its rife in the UK, well in London at least. Most black teenagers I see in London, not only do they have the ‘street ghetto’ accent, but their dress code adheres to the American gangster lifestyle. They’re very loud as well, race aside it’s very easy to decipher their class backgrounds from the white kids. Very sad when even I don’t want to be in the same areas as these youths, I live as far from them as possible.
Sad state of affairs when even the youths of my own race embarass me.
I agree that these kids have some potential, but these kids live in a society that has almost given up on them, compound that with being fatherless, awful neighbourhoods and schools, they don’t stand a chance.
I have met some brilliant kids, but these seem almost drowned out and almost outnumbered by the undesirables.

He was black???, maybe he had some black ancestors, but that does not mean, was he black.
For example Puskins grandgrandfather was mulatto on Peter I. the Great court, and must it immediately mean he was black ???

How about a post on racial slurs and how they really don’t mean anything. The slurs are just words but we give them power and meaning. If we give the power then we can take it away. Like the n word. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just letters. Nothing at all. There is nothing you can call me that will change what I am.

@ Abagond:
When you mentioned the black buck stereotype, it reminded me of this song that I’m sure you’d be interested in. It’s by Donnie, called “Big Black Buck”. It’s about black people being gleeful consumers in a system that oppresses them.

You were not the only one who felt robbed. I am going to have a poll of the most gorgeous black men. I am thinking of skipping the nomination process, however, since the last one produced plenty of black men. I will jump straight to the vote but separate it by race: black women, white women and Asian women.

You were not the only one who felt robbed. I am going to have a poll of the most gorgeous black men. I am thinking of skipping the nomination process, however, since the last one produced plenty of black men. I will jump straight to the vote but separate it by race: black women, white women and Asian women.

This sounds like a good idea, but perhaps you should consider poll promotion? I don’t think many white or Asian women visit this website (it’s their loss, but you need more votes).

yes Madam CJ Walker would be good, Chris Rock mockumentary was just not good he lacked in several areas he did not talk about the whole good hair bad hair thing just focused on weaves and relaxers no talk of natural hair or the history of how the whole “good hair” came to be. Only type of history that he mentioned was adverts from the 70’s and 80’s SMH

“My nappy roots” which is what Chris Rock copied from is 100000X much better

“Its open season on the kids down in Haiti, instead of calling out the fact that taking kids from their family without the right adoption paperwork is kidnapping, the white media is trying to make it sound like the whites that recently got caught bringing kids from Haiti to the usa are heroes.”

i have to say that i think its wrong to move the children without proper paperwork. suppose they have extended family members looking for them, they’ll never have anyway of knowing what happened ot them. I support children having a comfortable and safe home with a family as long as the children are comfortable with that family, regardless of color. But it is a human rights violation to me to deprive them of proper documentation so their extended family can have a say or atleast an idea of their whereabouts. Its degrading to the children the family system in Haiti to automatically assume you’re doing them a favor, they should have a say in this too.

“Can you do a post on how some people hate to see two black people together in a relationship and happy? Also a post on why people bash black men so much like other men are so perfect?”

It would be very interesting a post about BM/BW relationships. But it would be even more interesting focusing on the reason that makes many black man proud of cheating, because most of women (black or white) i know who had/have a black boyfriend were cheating ones.

In my family i have lots of cousins, and there are about 2 in 10 that haven’t/won’t cheat.
I asked several of them why do they cheat, the first reaction is laughing with arrogance, my conclusion of their reasons (after questioning most of them) is this “I’m the best! Because I can have as many girls as I want, whenever I want”. That is just insane how can someone be proud of hurting others?! Yet most of them are polite,educated and caring!

I found the answer on this video (and it was really obvious, how could I forget that?! duh) :

Not sure if we should second suggestions, but a posts about trafficking poor black children and (not sure how to call it)- jealousy (anger?) towards happy black couples would be nice.

Also, it would be great to make posts on black men that white / Asian women like. Perhaps poll on gorgeous black men (with voters split by race) would help. I really wonder if women of different races find different “types” of black men attractive.

“It would be very interesting a post about BM/BW relationships. But it would be even more interesting focusing on the reason that makes many black man proud of cheating, because most of women (black or white) i know who had/have a black boyfriend were cheating ones.”

It would be interesting to find out why men cheat in general. Not all men cheat and black men are not the only men that do cheat. Many (non black) women I know have had problems with (non black) men who cheat. A girlfriend of mine who is Thai said that even in Thailand it is common for a husband to have a mistress. If she is correct then the cheating men problem is world wide.

I get where your coming from. Black men who cheat certainly should be addressed. Cheating is the number one thing I WILL NOT tolerate in any relationship. I would rather be alone than to share a man. To me if you cheat you lie you steal.
Any man who is “proud” of cheating is a man of low morals. Trust me these “proud” cheating me will get caught. The truth always come to the light. When it does its up to those women to drop those losers like a bad habit.

I have to agree here. I don’t know about non-white men, but there are many white men I know that are cheaters. It’s really rare to find a man who wouldn’t cheat on you these days. I’ve been cheated in a relationship so I know what is like, and it has nothing to do with race! That’s why I always advice my female friends to pick a guy who is not a cheater. That is very important.

I am not saying women don’t cheat- they do. They cheat more than you might think. But it has nothing to do with race. So “cheating black man” is another stereotype.

men who are celibate before marriage cheat less. I think its so admirable when a man can wait until marriage to have sex. that’s a big challenge in this society in these days. with all the sexual inuendos bombardment of sexual images everywhere you go. To me it says the guy has self control and discipline.

I might be harsh, but I don’t actually think abstinence helps, not always. At worst, that person might later ask – what did I miss- and start cheating. Things like this happened before.

If someone chose abstinence before marriage, good for them, but it’s not for everybody. It’s better not to try that path if you can’t follow it. It can lead to many problems. And even if you do it- not in strength, but you force yourself into it, you might start questioning yourself later.

I am not talking about anybody in particular, just stating my opinion. Or maybe it’s because my culture is different. It’s considered bad for a woman to be a slut, but premarital sex is norm here. But I don’t think this make people cheat more than in other cultures. So I am not sure.

Don’t get me wrong- I know there are men (and women) who can control themselves, men who don’t cheat, loyal people, people who identify sex with love.

PS-If nothing else, if women chose to wait before the marriage, so should men. There’s no difference in sexual needs and control between genders; it’s the culture and rules that made women look less sexual and more in control than men.

@ Leaveumthinking“It would be interesting to find out why men cheat in general. Not all men cheat and black men are not the only men that do cheat. Many (non black) women I know have had problems with (non black) men who cheat. A girlfriend of mine who is Thai said that even in Thailand it is common for a husband to have a mistress. If she is correct then the cheating men problem is world wide.”

Guess I was not clear enough.

I choose black men because they are the ones I’m familiar with, but I know there are cheaters in every single race, of course.
But comparing to relationships i’ve seen with non-black boyfriends, it was not common and the only one I knew who cheated confessed it, he didn’t even got caught and his girlfriend wasn’t even suspecting…

Bottom line is I just wanted to know what are the reasons of black men who are proud of cheating. I do not find myself easily atracted to non-black males that’s why I didn’t want to focus that much on other races…

“Cheating is the number one thing I WILL NOT tolerate in any relationship.I would rather be alone than to share a man. To me if you cheat you lie you steal.
Any man who is “proud” of cheating is a man of low morals. “

Definitely!!! If he cheats on you it shows no respect and most of all no love, but why stay with someone knowing that you do not love her??? That’s what I don’t understand!

Oh well, youtube won’t let us watch it. The song is called The Fact is( We need you). She is reaching out to the men, letting them know that despite that fact that a woman can be strong and independent, she still needs her man!!. I can relate.

Bottom line is I just wanted to know what are the reasons of black men who are proud of cheating.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Yes, I too, would like to know why these men cheat and why are they proud of it? I’m very interested in the excuses these so call men will use. There isn’t an acceptable reason to cheat. Why don’t they just leave? Why not stay single until they are ready for a committed relationship?

Please do a topic on black Canadians. My grandmother told me that I am of black Canadian ancestry. My great grand father comes from Nova Scotia Canada and my step mother is a lightskinned women from a town close to Windsor. I have always been interested in Canada for some reason. I spent alot of time there because my step mother would take me there for her family reunions. It was interesting. She had hundreds of relatives, most extremely lightskinned. I mean some had blond hair and blue eyes, but they were black. I mentioned her before. Her great great great mother was biracial who had a white father who was a plantation owner( he killed her black mother. Sad) and her other great great great mother was a white woman who was a indentured servant who common law husband was a black ex-slave. She also was of Papuan New Guinea descent. Those who any thing about that place knows it is a place where non-African black people live. I mean they have broad noses and kinky hair. Black people also live in places close by like the Figi Islands and other Pacific islands. I think they call the island Melanesia, something like that. Her great great great father was of Papuan New Guinea descent and he was a sailor, that found his way to Canada. Many blacks in Canada are descended from ex-slaves and others are from places like Africa, the Carribean, etc. It would be an interesting topic. I know little of my great grand father other that he was light skinned and moved to the USA. He married my great grandmother who was from Macon, Georgia. Also, Agagond, write a topic about the blacks of Melanesia Islands.

abagond i still think you should do a post on why more bw don’t marry white men??? Or how about “the gulf between white men and black women.” I can give you a list right now. I am telling you abagond, I have seen bw with my own eyes turn down white men. It’s not always white men turning down bw. I wish people would stop pretending that. It’s both groups aren’t really that interested.

I think that both black women and white men are insecure. White men think that they are not muscular enough and that they penises are not big enough. Black women feel that white women are considered beautiful by society and that white men won’t consider them equal. Black men and white women don’t have these insecurities as much, so it is easier for them to approach each other. Black women and white men, even if they are attracted to each other, are uncertain if the other person is interested in them. They take forever to express an interest in each other and sometimes they never express an interest at all. This is not all black women and white men. Sometimes, black women and white men simply don’t have an interest in each other. That could be common. But that is not always the case. In fact, black women and white men seemed to have a love/hate relationship. They may like each other but they are angy with each other because they feel the other person is rejecting them. If black women and white men were just honest with each other about their insecurities, it would be a good thing.

Also, black women are concerned that some white men are racist and some white men may think that black women are too dominant. Black women in this country have a ridiculously bad reputation in this country and I don’t entirely blame whites for this reputation. Many black people, both men and women, believe that black women have bad attitudes. Some will swear up and down that they don’t believe this. But don’t pay attention to what people say, but what they do. I must admit, I noticed that people are often friendly towards my husband while unfriendly towards me, as if I was a black b#####. They seem cautious towards me, while relaxed with my husband. I find myself going through ridiculous changes proving to other people that I am a nice person. I am tired of doing this. Now, I have learned to stop being a people pleaser and love myself. It is not just black men who are like this but I find many black women are not friendly towards other black women. They seem defensive towards one another, not all black women, but some. I find the older the women is the more she friendly she is. So people will swear up and down, ” I love black women. I think they are queens” but their behavior reflects something different. I think most black women are depressed and they often seem cautious towards people because of past pains. It is important for us to let go of baggage so people don’t assume that we are just “evil”. No, I am not suggesting that we go too far with the people pleasing thing, but for some reason people have the wrong impression of us. We have to honest with ourselves about why this is the case. We need to examine ourselves just like we examine everyone else. Maybe some of us need to practice forgiveness, practice being joyful instead of scared, have faith instead of worrying all the time. Stop worrying that men are rejecting us and believe that “what God has for me, is for me”. It might help.

One last thing, Black women, we have to lead by example. Start treating each other with kindness. Let go of some the defense mechanism. Give other black women a chance. Smile at each other. Do small acts of kindness with each. Love each other. If we don’t love ourselves, no one will.

I know I am typing too much but Abagond, also, do a topic about the perceived differences between African American and African women. African women, who don’t deal with racism, maybe poverty, but not racism, seem way less depressed, more friendly, more joyful, and some say more feminine. One man who was white said he married an African black women because there was “less attitude”. Are there differences between African American and African women? Are there diffences between African Americans and Africans in general when it to values and behavior? I would like a discussion on this.

Most black women I know do not think about white men and are not even attracted to them on average. The few black women that I know, who want a white man, have a white man. These so called lonely insecure black women, who are so worried about white men, are only on the internet because I have never met one in real life.

I wonder if there was a ‘racial’ element to these killings and if so, why isn’t this being reported on in the media(racial element if present, that is)? They can report on a clown like joe Mayers, but not something of this serious nature where people were killed if indeed the murders were of a racially motivated.

I have suggestion, could you write a page on Al Sharpton and/or Jesse Jackson? What I keep hearing in the media is that those two are nothing but oppurtunists. So it would be nice to get a deeper look about this without any of the BS.

I remember watching a BBC documentary about the Jonestown Massacre where one of the white survivors who fled on the last plane left his biracial black son in that awful place! rather than escape with him to the States he thought he wouldn’t be accepted for the color of his skin!
I thought WTF?!! These men are cowards who have no business having biracial kids.
That little boy’s plight struck me deeply, that his white cowardly father condemned his mixed race son to die because he was too ashamed to have mixed race progeny in racist America.

Not only was he a coward but he was also a selfish moron. How could he leave his own flesh and blood to die like that. If anything he should have sacrificed himself so his son could live. I never understood why white men like him even have children by black women.

How about doing a post on those blackface “ghetto parties” that those white kids in universities throw. I read about that compton cookout thing, I mean this how these dumb arse kids get down, I know tis isn’t the first incident but some of the commentry about this is dumb people are saying how black people shouldn’t be so sensitive still more of that post-racial bull crap.

not to long ago in england there was a “tarzan party” and these fools wore animal print and were in black face.

For guys: I expect all males to be rockin Jersey’s, stuntin’ up in ya White T (XXXL smallest size acceptable), anything FUBU, Ecko, Rockawear, High/low top Jordans or Dunks, Chains, Jorts, stunner shades, 59 50 hats, Tats, etc….We will be serving 40’s, Kegs of Natty, dat Purple Drank- which consists of sugar, water, and the color purple , chicken, coolade, and of course Watermelon. So come one and come all, make ya self before we break ya self, keep strapped, get yo shine on, and join us for a day party to be remembered- or not…”

For girls: For those of you who are unfamiliar with ghetto chicks-Ghetto chicks usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama, and wear cheap clothes – they consider Baby Phat to be high class and expensive couture. They also have short, nappy hair, and usually wear cheap weave, usually in bad colors, such as purple or bright red.They look and act similar to Shenaynay, and speak very loudly, while rolling their neck, and waving their finger in your face. Ghetto chicks have a very limited vocabulary, and attempt to make up for it, by forming new words, such as “constipulated”, or simply cursing persistently, or using other types of vulgarities, and making noises, such as “hmmg!”, or smacking their lips, and making other angry noises,grunts, and faces.The objective is for all you lovely ladies to look, act, and essentially take on these “respectable” qualities throughout the day”

Why are you so angry? I was just trying to understand your reasoning. No offense meant. I just wanted to point out the hypocrisy and irony in some of your statements.

It is not my intention to enter an argument where there are only two opposing sides. My intention is to participate in healthy dialogues. Disagreement and differences of opinion are fine and to be expected.

If you thought I was biracial, would you treat me different? I think I can bring insight and positive contributions to this blog site, and that is my objective. I have also been learning a lot. Why not do both?

Why are you so angry? I was just trying to understand your reasoning. No offense meant. I just wanted to point out the hypocrisy and irony in some of your statements.

It is not my intention to enter an argument where there are only two opposing sides. My intention is to participate in healthy dialogues. Disagreement and differences of opinion are fine and to be expected.

I think I can bring insight and positive contributions to this blog site, and that is my objective. I have also been learning a lot. Why not do both?

I know where you’re coming from, a lot of people are judging this woman when none of us know the real truth. Unfortunately she’s being used as a ‘I-told-you-so’s’ by people to further their causes.
SMDH

Nope i disagree, that he is a fetishist we don’t know, that is speculation on your part. His former mistress was a blue eyed blond.
That she’s a mistress is a no no of course, but what bothers me is where people who are against Black/White couplings use this as an example of what white men are supposed to be doing to black women. That is really where such people’s stake and interest is in this story. That Ms Hirsi Ali is black, and that I’m afraid i don’t agree with!
She’s an adulterer its obvious, she’s an educated lawyer, am pretty sure she is not being coerced into being with this man. This white man isn’t making her do anything against her will. Her color is a moot point, what’s that got to do with anything??

I sent a email to you about a town that was called “black wall street” I was wondering if you could talk about black towns that were prosperous in the early 1900’s that were destroyed by jealous whites. Or simply towns that were destroyed for other reason. And how this may have affected us today. Thanks.

What’s ironic is that MerriMay and Erzrulie disagree with each other, yet I agree with the both of you. I think that automatically assuming that a white man is using a black woman for sex is a result of an inferiority complex. To not that he wants you only for sex is naive, but to automatically assume that he does, is the result of an inferiority complex. It’s like thinking well he can’t possibly want a sincere relationship with me because my skin is black. Or that I’m not good enough to be approached by a man of another color. To think that of yourself is definitely an inferiority complex, whether we admit to it or not. But on the other hand, I do understand that way of thinking simply because if a white woman is in the same situation she doesn’t have the burden of the jezebel stereotype, neither the history of being raped and ridiculed for physical features.

The reason these debates go on and on is because there is some truth to what most people are saying. Yes, there are some white men who see black women as inferior and will only want them for sex. Just because a white man cheats with a black woman does not mean he sees her as inferior either. It goes both ways. There are black men who use black women for sex as there are white men who use white women for sex too, which leads to the conclusion that this hardly has much to do with color but with the fact that some men cheat just because.

In America, black women just have the extra burden of having to be cautious when being approached by white men who are interested. But if we consciously make the effort to see ourselves as women, and not black women, then we won’t have all those notions in our heads if and/or when we do get approached. Because at the end of the day, men want women and women want men. Well, at least for those of us who are heterosexual. LOL

Abagond, Why don’t you do a post of Whoopi Goldberg? Based on box office revenue, she’s the most successful black actress and Halle B came in second. Now what’s interesting about Whoopi is that she is hardly the ideal in terms of looks, particularly for black women in Hollywood. She’s considered unattractive; she’s dark and she wears her hair natural, but yet she’s considered the most successuful. Ironic don’t you think?

I agree, black women like all women are individuals who should be accountable for their own choices, good or bad. If she chooses a man she knows is married then she deserves everything that’s coming to her when he goes back to his marital home.
What botheres me is when the actions of these women is feeding time for people that pick up the actions of what they think black women in general are doing with white men. It’s not a ‘black woman thing’, more a mistake any woman regardless of race does.
Also to call people that don’t harp on and on about ‘evil whites’ all the time, brainwashed and programmed is quite insulting I might add.
I don’t have to use the same rhetoric over and over to prove it!

Lol, I know about the names! It actually happened to some people I know, and not just in America. I am not sure if they don’t recognize last names, but some first names common in Serbia (Tijana, Milica, Jasmina) often don’t sound white enough for employers. So I can imagine what is like to have a “truly” non-white name.

It’s not really Serbian, it’s considered to be a Muslim name. However, many women and girls I know are named Jasmina (however, any J in Serbian is read as Y in “yes”, so I think it’s pronounced differently than your name). J thing is tricky, because foreign (English speaking) people never seem to know how to pronounce it (my full name, for example, is Mirjana, but I use my nickname for online use).

All in all, Jasmina sounds muslim to many people (my friend was discriminated in France based on her name alone). Another friend (Tijana) in the US, and so did one Milica I know.

True, I don’t live as a minority, but that’s not what I was talking about. I said that my friends were discriminated not because they didn’t have anglo names- but because some people thought their names weren’t white. Which means someone thought my friends were either black or Middle Eastern.

The eyelid surgery is a B-I-G deal in the Asian community. I saw that episode with the Korean woman on Tyra’s show a few years back. And imho, I found Tyra to be condescending towards that woman. The woman couldn’t get a word in edge-wise. I don’t know if people are aware of this, but not all Asians get eyelid surgery to look white although some do. Fifty percent of Asians have a crease and the other half do not. Personally, I know a couple of women who have had this surgery. Even I wanted to have this surgery.

By the way, leigh, is there a non-offensive word for- I don’t know how else to put it- Asian eyes? I am not into PC, but I don’t really want to offend somebody.

To be honest, I don’t know of any non-offensive word to describe Asian eyes. Asian eyes is fine, I think. However, the ones I do know are: slitty, slanty, and c****y…rhymes with slinky. If there was a topic done on this, you’d better believe I’d put my 2 cents in.

@ LeighTo be honest, I don’t know of any non-offensive word to describe Asian eyes. Asian eyes is fine, I think. However, the ones I do know are: slitty, slanty, and c****y…rhymes with slinky. If there was a topic done on this, you’d better believe I’d put my 2 cents in.

I agree a post on Asian eyelid surgery would be interesting. My SO says that “almond shaped” eyes is not an offensive term to him but what do you think so Ill know. And yes Tyra was rude to that lady. The lady was trying to explain but Tyra kept speaking over her. Tyra was making everything about herself as usual.

I agree a post on Asian eyelid surgery would be interesting. My SO says that “almond shaped” eyes is not an offensive term to him but what do you think so Ill know. And yes Tyra was rude to that lady. The lady was trying to explain but Tyra kept speaking over her. Tyra was making everything about herself as usual.

Oh, how could I’ve forgotten! I HAVE heard of almond-shaped eyes used to describe Asian eyes. The thing is, the media portrays the stereotypical Asian eyes looking almond-shaped like Lucy Liu’s. And while many Asians have eyes like hers, I have some relatives with eyes that don’t look even remotely close to Lucy’s eyes. And I mean, big, creased, doe eyes like Bambi! And it’s all natural. No surgery whatsoever.

I understand what you are saying. There are different shapes and sizes to Asian eyes so to refer to Asian eyes as almond shaped would not apply to all and would be a stereotype, which is offensive. Thank you for the clarification.

Even I wanted to have this surgery.

No judgement here. As long as its safe. I wanted to have the Lasik but I have dry eyes and Im too chicken to go through with it. But I do think your eyes are beautiful the way they are.

A post on black people getting blue contacts implanted inside their eyes would be a good post.

No judgement here. As long as its safe. I wanted to have the Lasik but I have dry eyes and Im too chicken to go through with it. But I do think your eyes are beautiful the way they are.

Aw, thank you. You’re a sweetheart! 🙂

It’s a long story, but when I was much younger, I was racially taunted due to my eyes, and, well, I was one of the few Asians around in my school. I had some jerks pulling on the corners of their eyes making those mock Asian accent. I felt badly about myself and I heard about the eyelid surgery.

When I told my mom I wanted surgery, she was quite upset that I thought about it. She told me there was nothing wrong with my eyes and the jerks were the one with the problem. She was absolutely right. I thanked my mother for setting me straight.

Im sorry you went through that. I never undestood why some people like to make fun and put down others for no reason. I never made fun of someone because of their differences because I know how it feels. As a child I was teased because of my skin but mostly because of my hair. I was 12 years old when I got a relaxer. It took me a long time to love my hair. Ive come a long way because I use to be ashamed of the baby pic on my avatar because of my hair. I use to actually hide that pic from company.
Your mom was right and Im glad you changed your mind. We have to accept ourselves the way we are because no one is gonna change themselves to please us. Plus its nothing wrong with us.

Im sorry you went through that. I never undestood why some people like to make fun and put down others for no reason. I never made fun of someone because of their differences because I know how it feels. As a child I was teased because of my skin but mostly because of my hair. I was 12 years old when I got a relaxer. It took me a long time to love my hair. Ive come a long way because I use to be ashamed of the baby pic on my avatar because of my hair. I use to actually hide that pic from company.

I’m also sorry you had to go through that. It saddens me that some people treat others quite horribly over features they have no control over. What happened to me, my experiences, has shaped who I am today. At least a part of me. Besides, how can anyone make fun of you? You were quite the adorable baby. 😀

Your mom was right and Im glad you changed your mind. We have to accept ourselves the way we are because no one is gonna change themselves to please us. Plus its nothing wrong with us.

Agreed. There’s nothing wrong with us. These are the features we’re born with and God, Allah, or whatever mighty being you believe in (or don’t believe), DID NOT make a mistake.

Yes it is sad that you went through that. Like I mentioned before, I went through something quite similar. When I was between 10 and 14 years old, I was teased and bullied, mainly from boys, about my full lips. When I was 10, there wasn’t a day that passed when other children didn’t harrass me. Once I went to highschool the teasing stopped. Thank God I was able to get into a highschool for the gifted. The other students weren’t as cruel as the kids in elementary and middle school. I was finally able to feel comfortable about myself. But I must admit, whenever I think about it, it causes me pain. I do admit however that I don’t have the same insecurites as I did when I was much younger. I feel that if other people are getting plastic surgery to get full lips, then full lips must not be all that bad. Well, I think you are a beautiful girl. I love your eyes and there is nothing wrong with them. Forget the haters. Often people who diss other people are insecure with themselves so they feel the need to make others feel as badly as they feel. All that matters is how we feel about ourselves.

Your eyes look quite large to me. There are always going to be ignorant people.

Ignorant people suck, I say. As for my eyes looking quite large, it looks “large” when I do a slight smile, for example, in my avatar you see. You should see me smiling from ear-to-ear. My eyes turn into these little crescent moons. lol!

Leaveumthinking,

No offense, but that youtube post was kinda creepy. She clearly wasn’t meant to have those stark blue eyes.
Her brown eyes look much better.

Yes it is sad that you went through that. Like I mentioned before, I went through something quite similar. When I was between 10 and 14 years old, I was teased and bullied, mainly from boys, about my full lips. When I was 10, there wasn’t a day that passed when other children didn’t harrass me. Once I went to highschool the teasing stopped. Thank God I was able to get into a highschool for the gifted. The other students weren’t as cruel as the kids in elementary and middle school. I was finally able to feel comfortable about myself. But I must admit, whenever I think about it, it causes me pain.

Aww, I’m so sorry that you had to experience that. Reading your story makes me want to reach out and give you a hug. *sending you a hug*

I do admit however that I don’t have the same insecurites as I did when I was much younger. I feel that if other people are getting plastic surgery to get full lips, then full lips must not be all that bad. Well, I think you are a beautiful girl. I love your eyes and there is nothing wrong with them. Forget the haters. Often people who diss other people are insecure with themselves so they feel the need to make others feel as badly as they feel. All that matters is how we feel about ourselves.

I wholeheartedly agree. No matter how much people try to put us down, we are who we are. That’s what makes us so special. 😀

No offense, but that youtube post was kinda creepy. She clearly wasn’t meant to have those stark blue eyes.
Her brown eyes look much better.

Yes they are very creepy and scary. I could not believe some Black people would want blue eyes so bad that they would go all the way to Panama to get a unsafe cosmetic procedure that is not approved in the US. She almost lost her vision. I felt sorry for her. Im glad shes okay now that she got them removed. Her brown eyes that she was born with fit her. I hope no one else get this procedure.

That eye color change is sad!I heard it can cause secondary glaucoma, no good.I understand Hitler and white supremacists try to push the idea that blue eyes is superior.ut i don’t like blue eye color myself, never did.

I agree. I was researching the Lasik procedure and other eye procedures to correct my vision. I stumbled across her video and wanted to know why her eyes were two different colors. No I dont like blue eyes either especially artificial looking ones. If you are born with them thats fine but they are not for everyone.

I went to Sheperd Eye Center for my cataract surgery 3800 to fix my left eye, very pricey sometimes.

Yes it is pricey. The lasik procedure is 2000 for each eye. So I’ll just stick to wearing glasses.

My doctor did bring up colored lenses but i just ignored the suggestion because i’m fine with my eye color.

Im glad you ignored him. You are beautiful you dont need colored eyes. I never understood the big deal with blue eye color. Thats why I was shocked to hear that a black women would have a procedure like that. I like dark eyes better.

Changing your eye color ain’t gonna make white people like you.

I agree. No matter how “white” you look. You are still a “you know what” to white folks. Thats why black people should stick together and not care what white people think of our appearance. We should still correct them on their ignorance though.

I just see you put alot on your plate up in the list. I would love for you to do a post on Phyllis Wheatley, that would be interesting and educational. I hope you include the foolishness of Thomas Jeffersons’ opinions of her. Just so people can see what kind of leadership we had.

I see a lot of “stereotypes” and prejudicial sentiments floating around your blog. Not necessarily from you, but from many of the individuals who participate. This is not bad, as it offers an opportunity to more freely share and discuss that might otherwise be limited by certain boundaries.

I noted a comment about “silly white people in Cowboy Hats, etc…” I thought you might want to write a piece on the history of the Black Cowboy. A lot of the early cowboys were Black, lots of Great American History there. There are even modern day Black Cowboys (primarily in Texas) but even in New York!!! (One runs a ranch to help inner city kids.)
Not sure if Thad would know anything about the “Gauchos” in Brazil or having “Black Cowboys” there, but he could potentially be a resource. (if you wanted to include that region)

I’m are 28yrs of age, a South African women that has always had something for white man. But begin in South Africa it has be hard to get one and let loose. I really turn to love white man, tan, tall good looking with a lot more to offer. The comfort of being loved, touched, held in public, wanted, is all that one is looking for. Not that the black man don’t do that, but i have been out of luck for the past years. As i write this in New York i have seen so much in a different light. It makes me even went white man even more. Any looking a beautiful, tall, dark skin African medium size women. mdhlulicz@yahoo.com

Linn, if this is for real, I’m sorry. I just can’t imagine this is real…. (BUT…. if it not a fake – sigh – ) As long as you are confident with yourself, you will find a man for you, period. Move on past this color thing please. (posting an email address after that? C’mon.)

Seems like she has had the same reaction to “Precious” as I did to “City of God”, J. On the one hand, thumbs up for portraying – and convincingly – lives that rarely make it to the silver screen. On the other hand, concern that this might just be a sort of ‘pornography of poverty”.

Thad, may I ask what’s wrong with “City of God”? I loved that film (well, you can’t “love” a film like that, but it was amazing). I understand your view of it might be different. So what was that wrong, incorrect, or unethical (?) about it?

CoG ends up being a bit “pornography of poverty”. The only time the favela gets on the silver screen is when people are killing other people there. Then is becomes oh-so-photogenic.

To those saying City Of God [one of my fav. movies] is uinethical or just a bad movie- the point of film and movies is to transport you to a different reality. and city of god does just that. so, there.

how about a post on why blacks perceived as ‘successful’ are referred to as acting white, or joining the white community.
for example, Barrack Obama is often referred to as the ‘whitest black guy ever’.

or in Fresh Prince of Belair, Will Smith is the ‘cool guy,’ or a ‘real black person’ because he came from the ghetto and has an african-american accent. the rest of the family seems to have stereotypical white traits: carleton is the nerdy, awkward guy who takes the brunt of the jokes…hillary is the materialistic valley girl/blonde bimbo.. the younger sister and the mother are the serious, level headed, down to earth white women (found in every sit-com)… and the dad is basically a re-hashed homer simpson. and the butler has an aristocratic, english accent?

it seems to me like becoming successful, getting an education, speaking like ‘a white person’ is labelled as ‘selling out.’ if a black person is successful in business or politics, it means they must have sucked up big time to white people. afterall, there’s no way a black person can become successful on their own, right?

Intresting, I don’t think of the Resh Prince of Bel-Air in that way. I twas more of another side of “Blackness” that does not get shown in the media. The family is black and proud but they are no t the stereotypes that people are used to seeing and that was pointed out in the show numerous of times. They were more of a product of their environment, Hilary being a valley girl, Carlton being a stuck up trust fund baby rich boy, Ashley typical young teenager relatable to many teens who are stuck in that child/adult cute stage. The parents both successful in their profession. And Geoferry the Butler I don’t know how many times I have heard from some Black Americans saying how they didn’t know that they were any black people in the UK.

This came up in another thread, so I thought I’d throw it out there. I can’t speak for the rest of Latin America/Carribean, but PC speech is laughed at in Brazil. (A lot of my international experience has shown me that the US is way over the top when it comes to PC. Almost like people who grow up in a PC environment are OVERLY sensitive. Thoughts?

how about a post on why blacks perceived as ’successful’ are referred to as acting white, or joining the white community. for example, Barrack Obama is often referred to as the ‘whitest black guy ever’.”

Good idea. Especially good considering this concept was at the core of Michelle Obama’s senior thesis at Princeton.

That is a good suggestion, though doubtless you will call whatever I write a black fantasy since I do not believe in the Savage Black Rule trope (which some see as”proved” by the case of Zimbabwe and, in the States, violent ghettos and bad black mayors).

In any case, I already have two posts kind of along those lines, but they are cultural rather than political:

This came up in another thread, so I thought I’d throw it out there. I can’t speak for the rest of Latin America/Carribean, but PC speech is laughed at in Brazil. (A lot of my international experience has shown me that the US is way over the top when it comes to PC. Almost like people who grow up in a PC environment are OVERLY sensitive. Thoughts?

Do you really think political correctness causes oversensitivity, or rather causes people to bitch when they catch hell for voicing their backwards and racist/sexist/ableist/etc views?

To BLACKkittenROAR – I’m approaching this from a cultural perspective, Brazil vs the U.S, because that is what I am familiar with. (Sometimes is like travelling between alternate realities)

I would like to see studies most definitely. I can’t really comment on PR or DR like I can Brazil, because I didn’t grow up there/live there. Do you have any international experience for comparison???

I’m Canadian, so things are very different here. Most white Canadians I’ve come in contact with have no problem not being PC.
Canada prides itself as being multicultural. IMO multiculturalism is a load of crap. It assumes that the root of racism is lack of understanding and exposure to different cultures.
Because of this assumption, whites feel that they can say whatever they want because Canada is multicultural and therefore not racist.
Canada has a very racist past, and yet this is glossed over and overlooked because whites believe Canada “isn’t like that”. Even our Prime Minister made as asinine remark about Canada having a past free of colonialism (which simply is not true – but arguing this fact with a white person, even if other whites are there to support your claims is like banging your head against a wall…I tried the other day to no avail).
IMO people who have an issue with being PC simply do not want to give up their privilege. You really should just read the article I linked to in my last comment.

Hating PC has nothing to do with privilege. I hate PC even (or especially) when is about my group, and I am really vocal about it. Being polite and taking care about other people’s feeling is a good thing. Doing your best not to be intentionally hurtful, offensive and disrespectful is a good thing. But it’s not what PC is about. PC is about what you’re allowed to say out loud while still thinking all those nasty things. For example, PC is about calling black people “African American” (even if they are not African Americans), while still thinking awful things. This is a simple example about race, but PC can be about anything, really. Religion, gender, nationality- you name it.

I don’t care if people who hate me or my group use polite names. Actually, if they dislike me, I prefer them to be rude.

I disagree. Hating having to be PC has everything to do with not wanting to give up privilege (why should anyone have the right to be offensive and disrespectful against any group or individual simply because being PC is annoying?). I don’t give a crap who hates me because of whom they perceive me to be.
I feel everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of preconceived notions one has. And that means you don’t get to call me a nigger, or use that word in my presence even if your only doing so to be PC, and you don’t get to talk down to me just because I’m a woman even though you secretly believe we all belong barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, because regardless I am still a human being, and being respectful really isn’t that hard.
But I can already see that this concept is not something everyone is going to be able to grasp, and I do hate silly arguments, so feel free to disagree.

I can think of A LOT of examples to share, but all mine are Brazilian in nature. They would definitely offend some people here, while in Brazil nobody would think twice.

Lets see…. Here is an example to a lesser degree. Lets say group A may wish to be called African-American because they deem “Black” to be offensive. Lets say group B takes pride in being “Black” and thinks it is absurd to use the term African-American.

We can define what is PC based on Societie’s rules currently, but if a certain group was offended one way or another, who would be Politically Correct? Lets think outside the box here.

I can think of A LOT of examples to share, but all mine are Brazilian in nature. They would definitely offend some people here, while in Brazil nobody would think twice.

Lets see…. Here is an example to a lesser degree. Lets say group A may wish to be called African-American because they deem “Black” to be offensive. Lets say group B takes pride in being “Black” and thinks it is absurd to use the term African-American.

We can define what is PC based on Societie’s rules currently, but if a certain group was offended one way or another, who would be Politically Correct? Lets think outside the box here.

I think you’re missing the point and getting hung up on technicalities. But as I said before, this is not a concept everyone will be able (or willing) to grasp, so feel free to disagree.

True. There are people who value honesty above many other things, including politeness.

I find this statement very troubling and it makes me very uneasy. I really don’t think being PC has anything to do with restricting the truth.
Truth is so subjective. Just because one has an abusive view of another that they hold to be true (but may not be to another), that means they get to shove that truth down somebody elses throat?
People have varying opinions, but opinions are just that..opinions not truths.

The way I see it, PC is a tool that protects the abusers (let’s call them abusers). Any racist, sexist, homophobic jerk can transform his manners into something acceptable WITHOUT really changing what’s in his mind and his heart. He or she can quickly learn not to use certain words and society will consider them acceptable, polite and even “nice people”. Why? They don’t deserve it.

Manners are not what make us good people, our heart and mind are.

In other situations, PC gone mad leads to really stupid situations. Really, calling me “vertically challenged” doesn’t even sound good or respectful, and it makes no sense. I am short. There’s nothing wrong with it.

You do seem to be having trouble with this particular subject. Let me ask you this, if a little person wants to be called a little person, where do you get off calling them a midget if they find that offensive?

I am not ColorOFLuv, but let me present my thought on this: people should be called the way the want to be called. End of story. No explanations.

Then again, assuming all members of one group (or something that I perceive as a group and might not even exist as a group) want to be called by the same name/term, is offensive in itself. I do believe these issues should rise in conversations naturally, not to be forced by the all mighty outside source.

“For example, PC is about calling black people “African American” (even if they are not African Americans), while still thinking awful things. ”

“African American” is a useful term. It identifies a specific ethnocultural group in the United States, descendants of slaves held in the country. “Black” refers to anyone of Sub-Saharan African descent. Some things that apply to African Americans are almost certainly not true of all blacks, even those in the United States who are not descended from slaves.

I used the term midget as an example, I was not insinuating that you would call a little person a midget. You keep presenting these examples as if these terms are unheard of. I fail to see what you are attempting to accomplish. So there are different terms for groups of people but they prefer one over the other, whats wrong with that? Where is the actual argument here? What is the real problem, other than you personally feeling inconvenienced at having to call somebody something they chose rather than a label you have given them?

And who gives a flying f— if some little people prefer to be called dwarfs. If you slip up and call them little people, I’m sure they will politely correct you realizing that you didn’t know better. The momentary embarrassment you feel over using the wrong term isn’t that big of a deal, is it?

You say forcing someone to chose a certain word is censorship, but why should an individual or group have a label forced upon them which may not be representative of who they are just because one group wishes to be free from censorship. That seems incredibly oppressive IMO.

Hey ColorOfLuv, way to be an asshole and label me as something I’m not. I already responded that I was not American so please have the respect to refer to me as what I am. You appear to be too ignorant to catch onto the point that I am trying to make, so keep coming up with silly examples which prove nothing while side-stepping the actual matter. To say your argument has holes would be giving it too much credit, since it seems to be nonexistent. However, I don’t feel the need to waste any more of my time on you, so have fun being backwards. You have proven my point beautifully, thanks.

You say forcing someone to chose a certain word is censorship, but why should an individual or group have a label forced upon them which may not be representative of who they are just because one group wishes to be free from censorship. That seems incredibly oppressive IMO.

You are talking about groups, I am talking about individuals. You don’t know how I want to be called unless I tell you. If I have some specific demands, I will tell you. If you don’t mean to be offensive you will call me the way I want to be called. If you want to be offensive or you simply don’t care, you won’t. But if you are forced by society to automatically assume how I want to be called, that is censorship. Freedom of speech? If I am allowed to say whatever I want, you can always decide if you like what I said and if you agree with me. If we both hide behind euphemisms… It’s not a good situation.

I think you see “political incorrectness” as the same as “being offensive”. You also seem to see PC as some sort of help to those who are oppressed. On the contrary, I see it as a way for oppressors to get away with many ugly things. It’s also not solving the problem. It gives offensive people tool to continue being rude, offensive and hateful without any consequences.

Seriously though, I didn’t see your post where you said you were Canadian. I don’t know if that warrants calling me a name!!! (My Brazilian example still would hold true to you since you’re Canadian. You wouldn’t understand the examples.) For this reason, I tried to use examples that I thought you would understand…

Honestly: There are Latinos offended by the word Hispanic, and others who prefer it.

I completely agree with your last point, being PC does allow wolves to dress up in sheep’s clothing. But I still do not believe there is anything inherently wrong with being PC, I certainly do not see it as censorship, but I think overtime it has eroded to what you are describing which I agree should be done away with.

ColorOfLuv:

Yea, I’m done with you. You have let your true colours shine through. I have answered your questions time and time again, but you haven’t seemed to be able to grasp what I’ve been saying. Let me spell it out in bold:

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT SOMEONE WISHES TO BE CALLED, THERE IS NO ONE “CORRECT” TERM, WHAT A PERSON OR GROUP WISHES TO CALL THEMSELVES IS THE RIGHT TERM TO USE. NOBODY SHOULD EVER JUST LABEL SOMEBODY SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO BE INCONVENIENCE BY ACTUALLY FINDING OUT SOME INFORMATION ABOUT A PERSON OR GROUP, PERIOD.

Why can’t you grasp this? this isn’t difficult. I’m tired of repeating myself. Take a page out of Mira’s book and say something constructive.

If I actually thought you were sorry I would take back calling you an asshole, but I don’t. The quotations you put around “American” are suspect.

In terms of asshole being politically correct or not, you have once again lead me to believe you don’t really understand what being PC really is. I’ll use the term negro as an example. People find negro offensive because the term denotes a specific class of people who are seen as inferior and as such not fully human and subject to unequal treatment. It isn’t PC to use this term, because it simple isn’t accurate (or at least publicly it isn’t acceptable to have this view). While on the other hand, you being an asshole is debatable.

my true colors? Listen, I fight for equality and civil rights. Just because I play Devils advocate doesn’t make me the devil.

You jumped to a conclusion irrationally and started behaving like an ill tempered child resorting to cursing and name calling.

You’re way too serious and getting offended at an open ended argument that MIRA “obviously” does get. She makes some great points! (Which is the sole reason I “suggested” this as a talking point for Abagond to put on his blog.)

(Don’t judge a book by its cover Kitten, you might find you’re guilty of commiting the very same thing you are in a hurry to condemn!)

i guess there already is a post on ‘acting white.’ just read it – pretty interesting.
reading the comments there made me think of another topic: why certain types of popular music are classified as being white or black. jazz, blues, rap are considered black music and rock, metal, are considered white. its strange because all music is just an evolution of earlier styles. i believe blues evolved from african folk music. jazz was a combination of american blues and classical european music. rock combined elements of blues and swing. but notable musicians who broke the race barrier are very few. today, when a white person raps, he’s seen as ‘trying to be black.’ what are people’s opinions about when a black person plays rock or metal, is that seen as a ‘white’ thing to do?

B.R. – my question was meant for today. and in case you missed it from before, i said all styles of music are a branching out of earlier styles. i didn’t say white people invented rock and roll. neither did blacks for that matter. but as far back as the 60’s, certain music was seen as white or black. my question is TODAY, if you see a white person rapping or playing blues, would you consider that a ‘black’ thing to do? if you know a black person who listens to the beatles or led zeppelin, would you see him as trying to ‘act white?’

Well, I didnt think I was avoiding today, so , I say again, I dont think there is a passport or immigration gate you have to pass through.

For me , it depends on if the person does it well.Really put in the time.

I cant speak for each individual playing the styles like you described, but , when I play jazz, I consider myself playing a black American style (especialy the way I like to play it).When I play Afro Brazilian music, I consider Im playing an Afro Brazilian style. If I am playing hip hop for break dancers, I consider Im playing a black American style. If I play in an orchestra of classical music, I consider Im playing a white European style.

If I am playing a black style, Im not sure I am “acting black”, but I sure am trying to channal my jazz idols who are black Americans and somtimes a white jazz musician like Buddy Rich, who knew he was playing a black American art also.

Maybe it is exactly that, I am acting black, but , in a channaling kind of way. So , someone else would have to define that .

Again, it makes a huge differance if someone is doing it really well or poorly.

I’m being serious and I agree with you when you say, “IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT SOMEONE WISHES TO BE CALLED, THERE IS NO ONE “CORRECT” TERM, WHAT A PERSON OR GROUP WISHES TO CALL THEMSELVES IS THE RIGHT TERM TO USE. NOBODY SHOULD EVER JUST LABEL SOMEBODY SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO BE INCONVENIENCE BY ACTUALLY FINDING OUT SOME INFORMATION ABOUT A PERSON OR GROUP, PERIOD.”

i agree…. When I first “suggested” this as a post, I most certainly did not want to make a statement such as, “Political Correctness is…….” This is a blog. A forum for discussion and debate -contructive conversation. The fact that I posed the question should demonstrate that I want to illicit responses from as many different people as possible to receive and understand the many different perspectives. How is that bad? No ill will or bad intentions were meant by that question.

The fact that I asked, “Almost like people who grow up in a PC environment are OVERLY sensitive. Thoughts?”

I asked this with Brazil in mind. When I put “American”, in quotes, there was no ill intent there either. In Brazil, race is no where near the problem that it is in the U.S. Political Correctness does not exist in hardly any form. A lot of my fellow Brazilians do not understand the concept. Culturally, they don’t get this concept. Since I’ve lived in Brazil and identify with Brazil just as much as the U.S, I have grown up in two different worlds. I was hoping to get additional comments from a lot of the Latin American/International participants on this blog to “gauge” their perceptions on being PC and how they feel about it.

My intention was most certainly not to say, “PC is wrong, lets fight!” (that is a bit extreme and not where I’m coming from at all.)

I would like to know if there have been comparitive studies done on the PC phenomenon.

colorofluv your apeal to international Latin American participants cant help but force me to at least address you.

I dont want to come in and make a blatent statement about it. There are too many varialbles that I see before I start making statements.

Many Brazilians you are talking about are stuck in an American pre Julia mentality. Tv is a disgrace, 3 white singers are the leading representatives of Salvador Bahia, compare the color of congress to the color of people in prison in Brazil outside of the south.

And on the other hand, I dont think there is a Brazilian black woman that would not date me because I was white and represented white privladge or a linc to the slave trade.

So there is a lot of complexity I dont want to make a statement on at this time

Right now, in Brazil, a country with the percentage of black people who get into college is painfully low, Idont know the exact percentage, but , its much lower than the USA, they are discussing making legal “quotas” for black people to get into college.

And there is some heated debate, and you can see some really interesting things coming from the white nationalists.

Some really interesting pr Julia ideas

And for lots of white Brazilians, its not race, its just class, its a social problem

That would be interesting B.R. “they are discussing making legal “quotas” for black people to get into college.”

I could just see all the phenotypically White Brazilians claiming their Black in order to get into college. I think that would be a real problem and not solve anything.

The quota idea is not a fix. Brazil needs to get in to the favelas and create a better educational system. Address the real problem, you know? Right now, only the Private schools offer a legitimate education. (Until you get to the University level, where ironically the Public ones are the best.)

colorofluv, you could see white Brazilians tying to get into collage trying to be black, but here is a quote of what this Brazilian thinks and I wonder if it isnt how a lot of Brazilians think:

“Brazilians don’t know about racism history and what generated the current American racial society. Brazilians never heard of scientific racism. Brazilians think the terms “east” and “west” are simple general directions you can find with the help of a compass and don’t associated them with any particular race or country.

There are so many things Brazilians in general ignore about the poisonous aspects of the American culture, and the current regime, I mean, adminstration is not interested in clarifying anything. The current affirmative action in Brazil is an unwanted thing, that the people of Brazil doesn’t approve, and they want to force feed it on us no matter what, exploiting the said cultural differences. For example, they accuse Brazil of racism, but no Brazilian knows what real racism is like. Living a little in the US would be enough for anybody to learn what real racism is, i.e., a society where “race” occupies a central role. ”

I dont agree with this, and I think if it takes quotas to get more black Brazilians in college , Im for it, and I wish it would aply to tv also, but that was dropped from the agenda.

“Racism will never cease to exist in the US because it is a business. It is a business where corrupt black men can make a few bucks and advance their own careers, usually at the expense of others.

Some people (I mean the usual suspects, NGOs, Ford Foundation, etc) are funding and trying desperatly to do the same in Brazil. And yet they fail. They don’t have people’s support and now are trying to push whatever stupid law they want by sneaking it or bullying others”

you said, “Made me wonder just what is said in white households about black people.”

I’m sure that it occurs in some households in the U.S, but much less than you may think. I’m almost 40 years old and have never heard anything like that in my life through the millions of connections I’ve had.

The best comment on American views versus Brazilian views was probably by Oracy Nogueira in “Preconceito de cor versus preconceito de marca”, written back in the 1950s.

Though Oracy is mainly talking about race, he ends up the article saying that the differences between American and Brazilian views on race are, in fact, emblematic of a wider difference between the two peoples. According to Oracy, Americans tend to see things in binary “this or that” dichotomies which are believed to be absolute whereas Brazilians see the same things on a non-absolutist sliding scale. Race views are an example of this, says Oracy, but so are views on religion, politics or pretty much anything.

Later on, Roberto da Matta came along with “Relativizando” in which he famously claims that Americans divide things in binary fashion whereas Brazilians feel more comfortable with trinary divisions.

Brazilians, if pressed, will generally feel better running to a neutral position. This is why PC behavior is something of a joke down here. Witness the recent beer commercial which had an overly sincere woman lecturing a band of samba players that they shouldn’t be drinking and singing while the world slides into the toilet…

Made me wonder just what is said in white households about black people. Most folks have made their minds up, they’re a lost cause!

In both my grandma’s households, mouthwash with Ivory soap would have followed the employment of the “n word”. Not that this means there weren’t other forms of racism going around uncommented, but I think too often black anti-racists have something of a two-dimensional cartoonish view of how racism is dealt with among whites.

It’s a bit more complicated than “let’s start with the bullsh#$ now that there are no n#$%%¨s to listen to us”, at least in many families.

Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin and Glenn Beck.
Those three are the lowest of the low, I found this on Bossip.
I am glad MSNBC baited out these fools talk about rude people God damn. They went after a 11 year old boy Just look at the link

I read in an internet article that a bollywood director said that he didn’t hire dark women for his movies to play flirty, feminine roles because dark women are too sexy, sensous for such roles and when men look at them they would think of sex, and therefore would not come off as believable in such roles. He said that light women are feminine.

Now Abagond, I would like to know what you think about this director’s opinion. When he said dark women, I took it that he meant not only dark skin, but even women with white skin who have dark hair and dark eyes such as Monica Bellucci, and she is very sensuous and sexy. So I saw this as being more about skin color.

Now I know his opinion may have come off as offensive do you think there is some truth to it?

I suffer from CRIMP-compulsive-reactive information management purchasing! Please do some posts on software. Most downloadable software comes with a thirty day trial period. You could put the software through its paces and critique the performance.

I don’t understand these rich white people that were trying to stop Obama, they are rich they can afford their healthcare Obama is trying to help the poor and since they don’t need help, I don’t know why they would try to stop him.

I don’t understand why people accuse Obama on being a socialist (I guess it’s taken for granted that it’s the worst thing a politician can be)- just because he wants to give health care to poor people. I mean, yes, it can be labelled “socialist”, but it’s a good thing. News flash: not all socialist things are bad. Free health care and education are definitely not bad things.

The US spends about $2.5 TRILLION per year on healthcare. Is that your idea of free?

Well, obviously, money has to come from somewhere. But to a person in need, health care should be free, no questions asked. Same goes for education. US should be the richest country on the planet. I bet the money is out there.

Bottom line – the U.S. Healtcare system is flawed. It’s reactionary approach rather than preventative approach is quite flawed…

Preventative? Prevention is in the hands of the individual. In the US there are still 50 MILLION smokers. That’s one-sixth of the population.

Here’s a factoid for you. The lowest healthcare costs in the US are found among the residents of Utah — the state populated by Mormons. Mormons are not permitted to smoke, drink alcohol or coffee, and other bad health habits are also forbidden.

What a shock. Their clean-living philosophy has proven itself.

If no one in the US smoked, if people cut way back on drinking, avoided recreational drugs and got some regular exercise, our national healthcare bill would easily drop by a full one-third.

No program that promises to repair the damage we willfully inflict on ourselves can lead to lower healthcare costs.

“Preventative? Prevention is in the hands of the individual. In the US there are still 50 MILLION smokers. That’s one-sixth of the population.

Here’s a factoid for you. The lowest healthcare costs in the US are found among the residents of Utah — the state populated by Mormons. Mormons are not permitted to smoke, drink alcohol or coffee, and other bad health habits are also forbidden.

What a shock. Their clean-living philosophy has proven itself.

If no one in the US smoked, if people cut way back on drinking, avoided recreational drugs and got some regular exercise, our national healthcare bill would easily drop by a full one-third.

No program that promises to repair the damage we willfully inflict on ourselves can lead to lower healthcare costs.”

For once no_slappz, I kinda agree with you!
I feel really, really, really dirty now!

not always, there are other factors t hat go into health of the individual. it’seasy to say well people shouldn’t smoke,drink or eat fast food, but when you live in an enviorment where you’re poor and its easir to get a big mac than a bag of apples and you have more acess to cocain than pain medication, aren’t we setting people or individuals up for failure. This is not an equal society and some people are put into unequal situations that predispose them andincrease the liklihood that they’ll have health problems. Look at the Aids epidmeic in Haiti 4 example…peole are so quick to blame the individual for their health choices, but they never stop and ask why orexamine the route cause

it’seasy to say well people shouldn’t smoke,drink or eat fast food, but when you live in an enviorment where you’re poor and its easir to get a big mac than a bag of apples and you have more acess to cocain than pain medication, aren’t we setting people or individuals up for failure.

Where are these neighborhoods that are over-run with McDonalds and devoid of supermarkets and other venues selling fresh foods?

Every neighborhood in NY City has convenience stores, markets and supermarkets that sell good wholesome non-junk food. In Brooklyn on Flatbush Avenue they are on almost every block.

The same is true for drug stores. Rite Aid, Walgreens and Duane Reade are competing on every block.

Why would supermarkets and drug stores miss out on the golden opportunity to serve poor neighborhoods? When most residents receive food stamps and Medicaid, food stores and drugs stores are guaranteed payment.

Sadly, too often I see obese black and hispanic women shopping in supermarkets pushing carts filled with pasta, canned goods and sweetened cereal.

This is not an equal society and some people are put into unequal situations that predispose them andincrease the liklihood that they’ll have health problems.

Oh. In other words you are admitting that minority shoppers are ignorant of basic concepts of healthful eating. And it appears you are saying they are unaware that smoking causes cancer and that drinking damages your liver and brain.

Look at the Aids epidmeic in Haiti 4 example…peole are so quick to blame the individual for their health choices, but they never stop and ask why orexamine the route cause

If there was ever a self-inflicted disease, AIDS is it. Now it appears you are claiming Haitians are too ignorant to have learned that anal sex and IV drug use account for the transmission of about 99% of all AIDS cases. Apparently the medical facts have failed to reach Botswana, where about 25% of the population is infected.

Where are these neighborhoods that are over-run with McDonalds and devoid of supermarkets and other venues selling fresh foods?

Thats not the point. The point is McDonalds 99 cents menu is much cheaper than health food. Yes preparing a healthy meal with fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, skinless chicken breast, fish, and other lean cuts of meat, whole grain rice and pasta, seasonings, prepared lowfat tv dinner like weightwatchers, basically lowfat anything, including bottled water can get expensive after awhile.

“The same is true for drug stores. Rite Aid, Walgreens and Duane Reade are competing on every block.”

Since when did drug stores start selling a wide variety of health food? There arent any drug stores like Walgreens on every block in poor neighborhoods. There was a liquor store across the street that sold zero health food and only snacks and junkfood.

“Sadly, too often I see obese black and hispanic women shopping in supermarkets pushing carts filled with pasta, canned goods and sweetened cereal.”

I guess where I live white women must be eating the same thing because most of them are obese too.

Oh. In other words you are admitting that minority shoppers are ignorant of basic concepts of healthful eating.

No one is ignorant. If healthy food was cheaper more poor people will buy it.

“And it appears you are saying they are unaware that smoking causes cancer and that drinking damages your liver and brain.”

Some people are addicted to smoking and alcohol. Why not ban these products? Oh I forgot the government (whites) would lose too much money.

“If there was ever a self-inflicted disease, AIDS is it.”

Its not self inflicted if you were raped, forced into prostitution or born with it. This might be the case in some poor countries.

Peanut made the bogus claim that fresh food was unavailable in poor neighborhoods. He also said it was easier to get cocaine instead of legitimate pain medication.

Hence, I mentioned a few realities about markets and drug stores, as well as the crucial point that people in poor neighborhoods receive food stamps and Medicaid benefits. Thus, most are able to get healthy food and their prescription medications without much difficulty.

By saying that McDonald’s offers a 99-cent meal, you are implying McDonald’s takes food stamps.

But we know that is false. What is true, however, is that people are willing to buy junk at McDonalds rather than eat better food gotten from supermarkets with food stamps.

You wrote:

Some people are addicted to smoking and alcohol. Why not ban these products? Oh I forgot the government (whites) would lose too much money.

Oh. Were these people born addicted to smoking and alcohol?

Do you think it is possible to “ban” these products? If you think the government can ban them, why do you think it is impossible for individuals to independently stop consuming them? Smoking causes lung cancer and cardio-pulmonary disease. What more do you need to know?

As for the recipients of the taxes collected from tobacco and alcohol, well, whom might they be? Where does the money for food stamps and Medicaid come from?

Meanwhile, food stamps cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, or prepared food. Should the government handle this benefit a different way?

LOL where did I mention food stamps? Are you implying that poor equals on food stamps?

“But we know that is false. What is true, however, is that people are willing to buy junk at McDonalds rather than eat better food gotten from supermarkets with food stamps.”

Not all poor people recieve food stamps or even qualify for them. Some poor people work for a living sometimes two jobs at a time and pay taxes like everyone else. Not all poor people depend on the government.

Do you think it is possible to “ban” these products?

Yes make them illegal so that there harder to obtain and some people probaly wont try them to begin with if they are illegal.

why do you think it is impossible for individuals to independently stop consuming them?

I never said it was impossible. If they are addicted it may be hard for them to stop even if they wanted to. What part of the word addiction do you not understand.

Smoking causes lung cancer and cardio-pulmonary disease. What more do you need to know?

Um I dont smoke

As for the recipients of the taxes collected from tobacco and alcohol, well, whom might they be?
Where does the money for food stamps and Medicaid come from?

If the money from tobacco taxes goes to feed and give medical care to underpriviledged children then atleast its going to a good cause.

Meanwhile, food stamps cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, or prepared food. Should the government handle this benefit a different way?

You lost me here. Food stamps should be used to only buy food. You tell me how you think the government should handle it.

LOL where did I mention food stamps? Are you implying that poor equals on food stamps?

Receving food stamps and Medicaid are reliable indicators of low income — or poverty.

You wrote:

Yes make them illegal so that there harder to obtain and some people probaly wont try them to begin with if they are illegal.

Peanut claimed it was easier for the poor to buy cocaine than to get legitimate pain medication from a drug store. Inasmuch as cocaine is illegal and illegal drug use is a huge problem among blacks in poor neighborhoods, it is obvious that banning a substance is hard to accomplish.

To deter use, sale of cigarettes is prohibited to people younger than 18. Cigarettes are also highly taxed, which is supposed to make them less affordable while generating revenue for the state. But untaxed cigarettes are sold illegally in NY City, especially in minority neighborhoods.

You wrote:

Not all poor people recieve food stamps or even qualify for them.

Those who are “poor” qualify. And if people qualify, they should accept this benefit and use to their advantage.

Some poor people work for a living sometimes two jobs at a time and pay taxes like everyone else.

They may still qualify for benefits. And perhaps even pay negative taxes as a result of the Earned Income Credit.

Not all poor people depend on the government.

In fact they do. More than any other segment of society. More government funding is spent on policing, fire departments, education, rent subsidies, food subsidies and medical care in poor areas than is spent on the same services in wealthier areas.

Where are these neighborhoods that are over-run with McDonalds and devoid of supermarkets and other venues selling fresh foods?

Because 99 cents for a MacDonalds meal is cheaper than purchasing the ingredients for a meal consisting of of all the food groups which make up a nutritious meal. This may cost twenty dollars or more whereas the 99 cent meal will cost less than five dollars when feeding a family of four. A frozen pizza on special will cost less than a home cooked meal. Even if allotted food stamps, is the cost of preparing the food taken into account? Costs such as gas or electricity for the stove? If it is a choice between paying for heating or having your electricity cut off over home cooked meals, what should the person choose?
Do they have subsidies for utilities as well as food and housing available in the States? There are poor people who may be slightly over the ‘poverty line’ and may not qualify for these benefits. What about them?

Do they have subsidies for utilities as well as food and housing available in the States?

Yes.

There are poor people who may be slightly over the ‘poverty line’ and may not qualify for these benefits. What about them?

Subsidies are granted on a sliding scale. And there is the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is a program that grants eligible working people extra money from the government. In other words, instead of Paying Taxes to the government, people qualifying for the EITC Receive money from the government.

My definition of “poor” is the government definition of “poor”. That definition determines who gets food stamps, Medicaid and rent subsidies.

Well neither of you understand the definition of poor. Poor doesnt mean living on or being qualified for werlfare. There are people who live modestly, work hard but make a low wage and live from paycheck to paycheck. They barely make ends meet. Just because these people do not quailfy for assistance does not mean they arent struggling. If you make close to minimum wage, live within your means and still barely make ends meet then you are poor by my definition.

For the price of a McDonalds meal it is possible to buy healthy food at a supermarket. Fruits and vegetables, for example, that require almost no prep work.

Fruits and vegetables dont fill you up. Unless someone has trained their body to eat like a vegan in the beginning this should be done under a doctors supervision to make sure you get the correct balance of vitamins and minerals. What poor person can afford that?

there is the Earned Income Tax Credit,

This is for those who have dependants. Not all poor people have kids.

In other words, instead of Paying Taxes to the government, people qualifying for the EITC Receive money from the government

Again unless you overpaid throughout the year if you do not have dependants you will owe instead of recieving money.

Inasmuch as you are claiming people are weakwilled and have little control over what goes into their bodies, maybe the government should ban junk food.

You wrote:

Fruits and vegetables dont fill you up. Unless someone has trained their body to eat like a vegan in the beginning this should be done under a doctors supervision to make sure you get the correct balance of vitamins and minerals.

Yeah. Get a doctor to supervise. As if today’s obesity problem is due to doctors prescribing a heavy intake of junk food.

I agree with Leaveumthinking’s definition of poor. There are many people who do-not qualify for these benefits who maybe work two jobs in order to make ends meet. They simply don’t qualify for these benefits. There must be an income cap for those who do qualify. If you are a little bit over, you will not qualify but you are still poor.

Its about how they can’t stand a black man working as president in the white house and they’ll do anything to mess him up if they can.

From what I have been reading I think this is true. Why the resistance to a universal health care program which espouses preventative health care measures? All the other so-called first world nations have health care programs why not the States? this has always baffled me. Do they not want healthy citizens? Free health care should be a universal right.

All I can say is that I am glad we have free health care here in Canada, warts and all. I suppose, according to some, we are a ’socialist’ nation!

Hi, fellow “socialist”! 🙂

From what I have been reading I think this is true. Why the resistance to a universal health care program which espouses preventative health care measures? All the other so-called first world nations have health care programs why not the States? this has always baffled me.

There were ‘commercials’ in the States with Canadians complaining about the our system as well. The pro-health care faction countered with commercials countering these turncoat’s position. Good thing for the Americans that the anti-health care faction lost!

A lot of people are infected with the fantasy of FREE healthcare. Where are the doctors, nurses and long list of medical professionals who work for free?

Is anything free? Maybe the air!

On the contrary. The new healthcare plan signed by Obama is a huge gift to the entire healthcare industry. Pizza for everyone. Lots of it. And lots more healthcare jobs. Not only more jobs, but pay increases too.

Capitalism at its’ best! Jobs for everyone! More money to shop, thereby shoring up the economy!

On the contrary. The new healthcare plan signed by Obama is a huge gift to the entire healthcare industry. Pizza for everyone. Lots of it. And lots more healthcare jobs. Not only more jobs, but pay increases too.

And this is bad, why? You reptilian types never bitch when defence spending does the same for the armaments industry. Oddly enough, you only seem to be opposed to keynsian economics when it’s actually being spent on things that can HELP people. You have no complaints about military keynesianism, do you? 😀

If it cuts into my ability to shop, yes! Shop till you drop! Pizza, clothes. electronics, purses, shoes, boots, computers, software hardware, chocolate!!!!! Don’t get me started. Give everyone a job so we can ALL enjoy the benefits of shopping, a sport in and of itself!

Maybe (if you haven’t already) you can talk about why people who are considered black in America can’t say that they have different ethnic backgrounds in them because they are black but whites can sit and say they are everything in the world.

You make a very good point. However, the general response to your question is that the “One Drop rule” and segregation in the U.S. (until recently) shaped society’s rules in that Blacks were a homogeneous group (despite the fact they are not) while “Whites” in the U.S. were subjected to categorization based on ethnicity: Greeks, Italians, Irish, Germans, etc…

(That is the short answer; however, if you browse through and read enough of the threads here on Abagond’s blog, you will find much of what you suggested is already present here.)

If you do you must note that he is also the epitome of white privilege. The things he says are the things black people have been saying for years. Now that its a white man saying it white people take it more to heart but if its coming for a black person it gets dismissed as “black paranoia” and “hypersensitivity”

Unfortunately, part of white racism is to not take seriously what people of colour say, particularly if it is about race and particularly if it is coming from a black person. When the VERY SAME WORDS come from the mouth of a white man, suddenly they are taken way more seriously. I have seen it with my own eyes at work. Sad but true.

It is hard to judge how well he is known among whites. I suppose he’s best known by the college-age demographic. But the majority of whites have probably either never heard of him, or, if they have, they consider him a dope.

Since Tim Wise is publicly taking unpopular positions on stuff white people do not want to think about or talk about, I doubt he is doing it for the money. He could probably make more money and live a much quieter life writing books about dogs or gardening, things that white people are way more interested in.

“It just seem like no matter how hard I try to explain stuff, it doesn’t get through. Like there is a wall up or something and I’m finding this to be true in 90% of the interaction w/ white guys I have. there might be 2 who try to understand what I’m talking about, the rest seem to have issues either admitting that there is benefit to being white in this day and age or just avoid/ignore issues of race altogether.”

So I started writing in answer to that but then the thing morphed into what it is now. Personally, I would not waste any time on the 90%. Be glad you know it now and not deeper into the relationship that they are jerks who have no empathy.

The “Quilombos” …. most of which I know of were in Brazil: The most famous being “Palmares”…

I believe there were some in the U.S. too near the Georgia Outer Banks and also Florida everglades (???

EXCERPT
The most famous Quilombo was Quilombo dos Palmares, (Palm Groves) which was documented as a system of about 8 or nine separate compounds and settlements covering a large area, partly in Pernambuco and partly in Alagôas.. From the time that its existence became known, 25 separate recorded attempts were made to take it before it finally fell. (Estimated 11k-20k inhabitants in a single ‘Quilombo’!!!)

Can we have an article on how mixed race individuals differ in experiences of their physical appearance and phenotypes. (For example is there a difference in a mixed race person who looks more White in a appearance than someone who does not?)

I missed dani’s post the first time around and I’d like to second this.

I’m with Leigh. But I’d like to explore how biracial people feel about their status in comparison to monoracial. I’m am curious because I read a post, by someone who used to comment here, about how her biracial status made her superior to monoracial in terms of appearance, better dating options, higher intelligence and she is less boring. She also indicated that she “pity’s” black women because of their lack of dating options and though she doesn’t have that problem, she likes to champion black women because of that.

“I’m with Leigh. But I’d like to explore how biracial people feel about their status in comparison to monoracial. I’m am curious because I read a post, by someone who used to comment here, about how her biracial status made her superior to monoracial in terms of appearance, better dating options, higher intelligence and she is less boring. She also indicated that she “pity’s” black women because of their lack of dating options and though she doesn’t have that problem, she likes to champion black women because of that.”

Yeah, it’s ashamed. At first I was furious when I read it, then I realized that obviously this person has issues. A white guy called her on it and she later recanted.

That is the problem in some cases, when other women view themselves as superior. And I don’t just accuse people with no justification, but when you have something spelled out so obvious, the mentality is clear.

Color,

I will check that out. I know that a great majority of mixed raced people don’t share that mentality.

I’m am curious because I read a post, by someone who used to comment here, about how her biracial status made her superior to monoracial in terms of appearance, better dating options, higher intelligence and she is less boring. She also indicated that she “pity’s” black women because of their lack of dating options and though she doesn’t have that problem, she likes to champion black women because of that.

Lolhuh?

Biracial people (black/white, or otherwise) do not look better than monoracial people, on average. They have their goods, okays, and uglies, just like every other group. We just only ever hear about the conventionally goodlooking ones. And someone is going to have to provide (numerous) studies that back the “higher intelligence” bit. That claim is very tentative, to say the least.

Yeah, that’s a real “lol”. According to her, the only negative stereotype to being biracial is being “unusually goodlooking”.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. There is a misconception that biracial people are above monoracial in attractiveness. While there are some very attractive biracials, there are also very attractive people in every group. It’s not exclusive to just one group.

After re-reading, the commenter mentioned that her high intelligence didn’t cause one to question because of her “ambigous”, mixed race appearance. Just to clarify. Which is still a slap in the face to monoracial groups.

The post went on to suggest that people mix and procreate because, “the children will be fine, just a bit stuck up”.

This is not what you want to instill in your children. To think that they are better than anyone else. This way of thinking is very disturbing – for anyone.

I’m am curious because I read a post, by someone who used to comment here, about how her biracial status made her superior to monoracial in terms of appearance, better dating options, higher intelligence and she is less boring. She also indicated that she “pity’s” black women because of their lack of dating options and though she doesn’t have that problem, she likes to champion black women because of that.”

I would have loved to have been here when this commenter made these bogus statements. My responses would have gotten a bit ugly.

It was not on this blog, but is was expressed by someone who was a regular here. It is very insulting. She later apologized because she knew that it was wrong, but is this her normal though process? This person really irked me because of her superiority complex.

It would be great to explore this way of thinking further and for biracial people to express their thoughts and feelings about this.

I think she spoke what she truly felt and believed, so her apology came from guilt therefore not sincere. I always thought biracials and blacks were okay with each other until I started reading their comments on the internet. One girl on this blog said that black women were jealous of biracial girls because they have long hair, light skin, and dont look like they just came back from picking cotton. I mean is she unaware that monoracial black women can have long hair and light skin. Do they think all monoracial black people look alike too. And they talk as if other women are never jealous of us monoracial blacks. Those same women who gave her a hard time would probaly do the same thing to us.

I think she spoke what she truly felt and believed, so her apology came from guilt therefore not sincere. I always thought biracials and blacks were okay with each other until I started reading their comments on the internet. One girl on this blog said that black women were jealous of biracial girls because they have long hair, light skin, and dont look like they just came back from picking cotton. I mean is she unaware that monoracial black women can have long hair and light skin. Do they think all monoracial black people look alike too. And they talk as if other women are never jealous of us monoracial blacks. Those same women who gave her a hard time would probaly do the same thing to us.

this would be great to cover on Abagond’s Colourism Post. Its a throwback to topics like good hair, good skin, and the fact that these are cultural concepts/mis-concept-ions. There are bi-racial people who are not as accepted because they’re not “Black enough”. Either way it goes, its stupid.

It may not have been guilt so much as it was that people (white guys) called her on it. So that’s even worse.

It’s true. With the internet, you can express your deepest, darkest feelings with no consequence.

This isn’t really a colorism issue because there are monoracial blacks who are light skinned, long hair. It’s more of a racial issue. Don’t get me wrong, there are women who may give biracials a hard time, but there are women who give ANY woman a hard time. That’s not just experienced by biracial or lighter skinned women. There are plenty of monoracial, darker skinned black women who may have it rough because they are attractive.

My problem is not with biracial women, because most that I have encountered have been very nice, but with the (hopefully) few women such as this commenter that I mentioned with a superior attitude.

This would be an interesting topic. And it would be great if that commenter or another with the same frame of thought would explain from where these view derived.

Natasha,

Since you are in an IR and will maybe have children someday, do you think that biracials with black mothers are more well adjusted and down to earth? I just do not see too many black mothers tolerating this way of thinking.

Don’t get me wrong, there are women who may give biracials a hard time, but there are women who give ANY woman a hard time. That’s not just experienced by biracial or lighter skinned women. There are plenty of monoracial, darker skinned black women who may have it rough because they are attractive.

I totally agree with this entire statement and thats what I told her it could have because she was attractive, slender, etc.

My boyfriend is a racially ambigous man of mixed heritage when the post is complete maybe he can add some insight. He says he is shocked my some of the comments made by FG.

Despite the brazen nature of that biracial woman’s comments I must admit I have heard this in tamer form in person. Whenever a black woman is consider pretty the follow up question is, “what are you mixed with”.

Also, I have to co-sign Leaveumthinking… I thought everything was cool with black and bi-racial, at my HS most of the biracials (give and take a few) identified with black despite the school being majority white. Its not until I came online last year that I realized these things went on. Thinking back, I have heard some bi-racials say out of pocket things about being “better” than monoracial blacks.

@ Islandgirl

I think the main reason bi and people are automatically seen as more attractive than monoracial blacks is because negroid features are not seen as attractive in our society. Many biracials have (forgive me for saying this) “watered down” black features that are more appealing to the white masses, hence why biracial women often play “black” roles on television. On top of that, there are not a lot of biracial people walking around so nobody can say for sure if they are TRULY better looking than monoracial blacks. For instance 95% f whites on TV are beautiful, if we went by what we saw on TV we would think that most whites are very beautiful. Most people dont believe this because they interact with plenty of white people, so they know better and have a realistic gauge of what the average white person looks like.

Biracials,on the other hand, they have the benefit of the doubt. Because there are not many of them people can build their perceptions of biracials from what they see on TV. These perceptions, for the most part go unchallenged because most people do not encounter enough biracials to get an accurate gauge of what the average biracial looks like. Thats why you get people running around saying biracial people are the most beautiful, based mainly on what they see on TV

I think that you are right. Just like I’ve met Africans who have an image of black American women based on T.V. and some have expressed that they were surprised about how the average black American doesn’t look like that. Same with biracial women.

Like I said on another post. Most biracial women are hard to distinguish. I’ve seen very few who look like Lisa Bonet or Jasmin Guy in terms of being ambiguous.

B.R.,

Your son probably was raised really well to be level headed and down to earth. But, no one wants him to think that he will not be accepted, either. Like I stated, not all biracial people think like that. I was only referring to this particular commenter and the VERY few who think like her.

Are you referring to the commenter? This was on another blog, alltogether. One in which most of the audience where white males. It was a link to a blog of another commenter here. The commenter did post here a lot, though but has recently stopped.

Yep, I have a friend that grew up in Japan up ultil she was 11. She told me she grew up watching TV and thinking white people, on average, were extraordinarily beautiful, slim and intelligent.

She said it was a shock when she came to the US and saw what the average white person was like. Its wasnt until she moved to a predominantly white country that she realized white people, in aggregate, are average in looks and intellect.

Its the same with another minority group. If the only knowledge you have of biracials is what you see on TV, you too would believe them to be more beautiful than your average monoracial person.

If you think about it, you’ll realize who it is. I don’t want to put her out there by disclosing the name. But this persons arrogance was very off putting to me. I wish I could provide the link so that you could see for yourself.

“I hear you Islandgirl.

To me, the comments by this person, sound like someone speaking from insecurity, getting something out in cyberspace she cant say in her day to day life.”

That is percisely what that is about. Because on this blog, the person was very much for black women and the struggles. But on another blog, it was completely different.

This is a little off of your normal topic interests. But I think inter-office fratinization would be a good topic. I work in an office where I have all of the qualifications for a job. However; the women who is over me is the director of the entire department with no degree or experience. Plus she works 20 hours a week and makes twice as much as me. I found out today that there is a reason….

Thanks Jasmin! Unprofessional is an understatement. This company is so corupt. This is very discouraging because this is a black owned company and he is fulfilling all of the sterotypes that people have about blacks. The staff doesn’t respect him.

How they’re so easily led to believe pseudosciences, bogus histories and distorted religions. It would be a great to understand how certain AA can believe these bogus myths that even a three year old kid with down syndrome would recognize as false.
This piece would also explain the education sources like Youtube U. Youtube U is one of the most embraced eduMacation outlets for these types of “conscious” AAs

How about a post on black people having more testosterone than other races and whether its true or not?

I second this.

As for great white man’s suggestion, a post on pseudoscience would be nice… But it’s hardly black community the only affected by it (just take a look at white people’s comments at posts such as “black rape”).

And I must repeat my own suggestion: Toni Morrison. Anybody interested?

I answer that question, as I think most people do, through religion. In at least Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism this life is just a stage. When we die we do not just disappear into nothingness. From what I have read even Neanderthals believed in life after death (they buried their dead with flowers).

an interesting experiment would be: take the same face and show it to a groups of men, one white, asian and black version, the exact same face and see which one gets the highest response rate for attractiveness than we’ll surely know whether its about racism or not…

“I think its ridiculous that whites are on a continent where black people originate from and they are giving nazi salutes and telling blacks to leave because they want to be seperate from the black people.

They wouldn’t like it if blacks went to europe telling white people to leave and seperate and treating them like they are inferior.
Everywhere they go they bring their superiority complex with them.”

yeah i always found it odd that whites came to s.africa and forced the blacks to live ase second citizens, when black south africans were there living in peace first…its always amazed me

About the blasian biracial thing, I remeber a while ago I watched a documentary called Our Pride: the Spirits of Black Japanese in Georgia directed by Yohei Suzuki about a few families and their children. Unfortunetly most of the links to watch the video are dead.

You need to do a post on –
White men/Asian women (The most common interracial couple)
Black men/White women (So you can p*ss off all the white supremacists LOL!)
Asian men/Black women (the least likely interracial couple, a shame really 😦 )
Asian men/White women (This isn’t common either!)

i would just like to say thanks abagond for such an interesting blog and for taking the concerns of your followers seriously. I know you are bombarded with suggestions daily, but you are one of my favorite bloggers.

anyway, can i suggest a post on the “the day in a the life of a slave,” like what it would be like to be a slave in the antebellum american south…I really love your historical posts

Abagond, did you do a topic about the movie “Precious”? If you haven’t, please do. My mother watched the movie and she said it was horrilbe. She said it made black women look really bad. She said that the character that Monique played was absolutely horrible. She was a abusive, wicked mother. Personally, I am tired of seeing movies and television shows that portray black women as evil, loud or ghetto. Just yesterday, I was watching a movie with a black woman in it and I was hoping that this woman wouldn’t play a stereotype. I was hoping she would be a kind and intelligent woman. But of course, she had an “attitude” and seemed to lack any likable characteristics. I immediately turned the channel. I thought to myself, I refuse to watch this movie. I personally think that black women should start boycotting movies and television shows that make them look awful. If a movie/show caters to stereotypes, we shouldn’t give our support by watching the movie in theaters. We shouldn’t watch them on television either. I would really appreciate it if you talk about this, Abagond. Thanks.

What I also didn’t like about Precious is that stupid white people thought it was a documentary and went up to Gabourey Sidibe and asked if her kids were alright.

Wha… Are these people for real?

I don’t know much about the movie, and I don’t know if it was made as a mocumentary, but Mariah as a social worker and Lenny as a nurse should be clear signs.

I wanted to watch it, I often watch all the Oscar nominated movies to form my opinion before the awards night, but I must admit I didn’t watch this one. People told me it’s way too depressing. It’s not like I like only happy movies, but I guess I wasn’t in the mood.

Then again, I haven’t seen “The blind side”, but friends told me it was horrible politically correct propaganda crap and that Sandra Bullock didn’t deserve Oscar.

Actress Sandra Bullock has adopted a beautiful baby boy. I went to a forum and many members commented, “Well, it proves she’s not racist.” The baby is black. Omigosh, so cute! Anyway, I think those members referred to her husband, Jesse James, because of his affair with a tattoed woman who took pictures with neo-nazi symbols on her body. It’s alleged that he’s racist. And that Sandra Bullock knew full well that he was racist from the start and married him anyway because she supposedly was racist as well.

the movie the blindside was garbage. the way they depicted michael oher was insulting. they made him look like a buffoon and a moron.

I just couldn’t believe some bp actually liked the movie, i was offended by it…it was stupid, unrealistic (yes i know it was based off of michael’oher’s life but aren’t they always??) and biased. Why did they choose the most unusual, out of the norm story to portray? Most nba players do not get taken in by white families. By and large most black athletes come from black families. Why did they make the neighborhood he came from look evil and why were all the bp in the movie portrayed as being evil?? Yet the wp were made to look like these kind-hearted saviors to the sorry negro. His mother is a crackhead (ofcourse) and all his black ghetto friends lust after the kind-hearted white woman who takes him in…(ofcourse) and Michael’s character has to swoop in to rescue her good name…(ofcourse).

In the beginning of the movie, the mother is afraid he’ll rob the house, then there is the fear that he’ll violate her daughter…then the teachers think he’s stupid. After they establish that he does have a working brain…the kind-hearted white people go out of their way to orally deliver tests and examinations to little Michael, so he can past the class and get his little athletic scholarship.

It was just ridiculous…the whole thing was just oh so predictable, hidden beneath the facade of a “true story,” just like “dangerous minds,” and “freedom writers.”

I am in no way criticizing the family, they did what they did and they did a wonderful thing. I am criticizing the media for manipulating that story and for using it to further an agenda. By and large we all know most blacks are raised by other blacks. Most black athletes come from black families, so why did they go out of their way to make the bc seem incapable and uncaring for their own??…

the thing that irritates me about these type of movies is the fact that the media selects these type of stories and uses them to further an agenda. WHy did they have to make bp out ot be innately dysfunctional and incapable of surviving w/out white help?

Why were all the bp in the movie antagonists and only whites were the good ones? In addition instead of the movie examining the root cause of the dysfunction and imbalance in the black community, they just make blacks out to be inferior.

They dont’ talk about how the government exploits these impoverished black communities. They don’t stop to examine WHY michael oher can’t read his exams. They don’ t look at the underfunding in inner-city, predominately black schools. They dont look at the fact that in the 1980s, the government allowed Nicaraguan druglords to smuggle drugs into the bc to get money for weapons in exchange for these drug lords fighting against the sandinistas. They don’t look at the fact that inequalities in the bc and racism is what has destroyed so many communities…No they don’t talk about that…

they just portray bp as innately dysfunctional, incapable of governing themselves…all of them waiting for some white goddess or white god to come and rescue them from blackness. Disgusting, hypocritical and yes racist.

I think this has been mentioned once before, but since we already have The most beautiful East Asian women post, what about one for the most gorgeous Asian men? I’m sure Natasha W, jeri, Leaveumthinking, and a few others I’ve missed (my apologies), and yours truly would thank you. Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top? 😀

Isn’t Stacey Dash’s husband a virtual unknown in celebrity world? She’s not exactly A list so I doubt the media would take that much interest. Not like Rihanna and Chris Brown who garner much more interest. Stacey Dash has come out of nowhere with the allegations, airing her dirty laundry, I hope she’s doing it to speak out against domestic violence, not to further her flagging career.

Kim Kardashian made public her decree nisi, her black ex hubbie beat her regularly too. I’d say there isn’t much interest there either. Surely a black man beating a white Armenian woman in the US would be the more controversial, not so.

Abagond could you do a post of African resistance to the slave trade and how many countries in Africa tried to stop Europeans. I think it would go well with the “Africans sold slaves too.” argument. It seems like white people love to bring that up all the time. I had to delete a comment like that on my blog so fool telling me to learn my history. puh-leeze

I am for it as long as it deals with women’s true passions….SHOPPING!!! Post some fliers to a Macy’s sale for example. That will send women into gales off ecstasy! Shopping, the female version of porn!

Hi Abagond, just throwing a couple of points perhaps for some inspiration.

FIRST of all, my utter respect to Neil deGrasse Tyson, one of the most brilliant scientists of our time. It might hit a sore spot on a few very religious peeps but that man is a living icon and an inspiration. IMHO science and religion shouldn’t be mixed anyway.

In your section about black women, how about a space for Rama Yade (France’s most popular MP), and the actresses Tiana Benjamin (Eastenders) and Freema Agyeman (Dr Who). Three gorgeous women from the ‘old world’ 🙂

Re-reading Adolph Hitler’s Mein Kampf with my students. All rhetoric about Godwin’s Law aside, it occurs to me that Part I, Chapter IX, is a very interesting read when read in conjunction with the comments made by Steve Sailor’s drawer full of sock-puppets regarding “white supremacy”.

When you read Hitler, you clearly see why it’s an incredibly dangerous thing to run around out there screaming that one race is superior to another. Hitler’s argument is by and large rational and logical, but based on totally false premises.

If we except the idea that x race is, on the whole, better than y race (whether globally or in something in particular), then Hitler’s views make perfect sense. And because people are NOT equal, nor is the human population biologically identical, folks are always going to be able to find something that seems to prove that this group over here is better than that group over there.

What prevents this from degenerating into Hitlerian logic is PRECISELY the fact that races DO NOT exist in the sense that Steve Sailor or Adolf Hitler believes: i.e. as cohesively bounded, discrete sub-species with “typical” behaviors attached.

So how about a good strong look at Hitler’s chapter on “People and Race”, comparing and contrasting it to Steve Sailor’s views on the same?

it’s peanut…abagond, here is a suggestion, i think you should run a happy birthday blog post! Your blog has been up and running atleast 5 years right, i don’t go back and look at the index but i remember seeing some posts from like 2005 i think… you should have a celebration a happy blogday!!-

CNN is running an interesting series on how quickly racial bias gets into kids at a very young age

Thanks for the link. It’s horrible. I don’t know why the white mother was surprised by her daughter’s result. Then again, I guess we would all be deeply hurt if it was our child picking black doll as the evil one.